Deploy Node.js Lambda functions with container images - AWS Lambda
AWS base images for Node.jsUsing a Node.js base imageNode.js runtime interface clientsDeploy the container image

Deploy Node.js Lambda functions with container images

You can deploy your Lambda function code as a container image. AWS provides the following resources to help you build a container image for your Node.js function:

  • AWS base images for Lambda

    These base images are preloaded with a language runtime and other components that are required to run the image on Lambda. AWS provides a Dockerfile for each of the base images to help with building your container image.

  • Open-source runtime interface clients (RIC)

    If you use a community or private enterprise base image, you must add a Runtime interface client to the base image to make it compatible with Lambda.

  • Open-source runtime interface emulator (RIE)

    Lambda provides a runtime interface emulator for you to test your function locally. The base images for Lambda and base images for custom runtimes include the RIE. For other base images, you can download the RIE for testing your image locally.

The workflow for a function defined as a container image includes these steps:

  1. Build your container image using the resources listed in this topic.

  2. Upload the image to your Amazon ECR container registry.

  3. Create the Lambda function or update the function code to deploy the image to an existing function.

AWS base images for Node.js

AWS provides the following base images for Node.js:

Tags Runtime Operating system Dockerfile Deprecation

18

 Node.js 18 Amazon Linux 2 Dockerfile for Node.js 18 on GitHub

16

 Node.js 16 Amazon Linux 2 Dockerfile for Node.js 16 on GitHub

14

 Node.js 14 Amazon Linux 2 Dockerfile for Node.js 14 on GitHub

12

 Node.js 12 Amazon Linux 2 Dockerfile for Node.js 12 on GitHub

Mar 31, 2023

Amazon ECR repository: gallery.ecr.aws/lambda/nodejs

Using a Node.js base image

For instructions on how to use a Node.js base image, choose the usage tab on AWS Lambda base images for Node.js in the Amazon ECR repository.

Node.js runtime interface clients

Install the runtime interface client for Node.js using the npm package manager:

npm install aws-lambda-ric

For package details, see Lambda RIC on the npm website.

You can also download the Node.js runtime interface client from GitHub. The NodeJS Runtime Interface Client package currently supports the following NodeJS versions:

  • 10.x

  • 12.x

  • 14.x

Deploy the container image

For a new function, you deploy the Node.js image when you create the function. For an existing function, if you rebuild the container image, you need to redeploy the image by updating the function code.