Managing AWS SDKs in Lambda functions

The Lambda service also provides AWS SDKs for your chosen runtime. These enable you to interact with AWS services using familiar code constructs. SDK versions change frequently as AWS adds new features and services, and the Lambda service periodically updates the bundled SDKs. Consequently, if you are using the bundled SDK version, you will notice the version changes in your function even if your function code has not changed.

The bundled SDK is provided as a convenience for developers building simpler functions or using the Lambda console for development. In these cases, SDK version changes typically do not impact the functionality or performance. To lock an SDK version and make it immutable, it’s recommended that you create a Lambda layer with a specific version of an SDK and include this in your deployment package. Additionally, packaging a function as a container image also locks the SDK version in the image.

To learn more, see the “Creating a layer containing the AWS SDK” section at https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/using-lambda-layers-to-simplify-your-development-process.