Table of Contents

Deploy a Micronaut function as a GraalVM Native Executable to AWS Lambda

Learn how to distribute a Micronaut function built as a GraalVM Native executable to AWS Lambda Custom Runtime

Authors: Sergio del Amo

Micronaut Version: 4.6.3

1. Introduction

Please read about Micronaut AWS Lambda Support to learn more about different Lambda runtime, Triggers, and Handlers, and how to integrate with a Micronaut application.

The biggest problem with Java applications and Lambda is how to mitigate Cold startups. Executing GraalVM Native executables of a Micronaut function in a Lambda Custom runtime is a solution to this problem.

If you want to respond to triggers such as queue events, S3 events, or single endpoints, you should opt to code your Micronaut functions as Serverless functions.

2. Getting Started

In this guide, we will deploy a Micronaut function written in Java as a GraalVM Native executable to an AWS Lambda custom runtime.

3. What you will need

To complete this guide, you will need the following:

4. Solution

We recommend that you follow the instructions in the next sections and create the application step by step. However, you can go right to the completed example.

5. Writing the Application

Create an application using the Micronaut Command Line Interface or with Micronaut Launch.

mn create-function-app example.micronaut.micronautguide --features=graalvm,aws-lambda --build=maven --lang=java
If you don’t specify the --build argument, Gradle with the Kotlin DSL is used as the build tool.
If you don’t specify the --lang argument, Java is used as the language.
If you don’t specify the --test argument, JUnit is used for Java and Kotlin, and Spock is used for Groovy.

The previous command creates a Micronaut application with the default package example.micronaut in a directory named micronautguide.

If you use Micronaut Launch, select Serverless function as application type and add the graalvm and aws-lambda features.

Setup IntelliJ IDEA to develop Micronaut Applications.

6. Code

The generated project contains sample code. Let’s explore it.

The application contains a class extending MicronautRequestHandler

src/main/java/example/micronaut/FunctionRequestHandler.java
package example.micronaut;
import io.micronaut.function.aws.MicronautRequestHandler;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
import io.micronaut.json.JsonMapper;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent;
import jakarta.inject.Inject;
import java.util.Collections;
public class FunctionRequestHandler extends MicronautRequestHandler<APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent, APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent> {
    @Inject
    JsonMapper objectMapper;

    @Override
    public APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent execute(APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent input) {
        APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent response = new APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent();
        try {
            String json = new String(objectMapper.writeValueAsBytes(Collections.singletonMap("message", "Hello World")));
            response.setStatusCode(200);
            response.setBody(json);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            response.setStatusCode(500);
        }
        return response;
    }
}

The generated test shows how to verify the function behaviour:

src/test/java/example/micronaut/FunctionRequestHandlerTest.java
package example.micronaut;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterAll;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeAll;
import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;

import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;

public class FunctionRequestHandlerTest {

    private static FunctionRequestHandler handler;

    @BeforeAll
    public static void setupServer() {
        handler = new FunctionRequestHandler();
    }

    @AfterAll
    public static void stopServer() {
        if (handler != null) {
            handler.getApplicationContext().close();
        }
    }

    @Test
    public void testHandler() {
        APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent request = new APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent();
        request.setHttpMethod("GET");
        request.setPath("/");
        APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent response = handler.execute(request);
        assertEquals(200, response.getStatusCode().intValue());
        assertEquals("{\"message\":\"Hello World\"}", response.getBody());
    }
}

  • When you instantiate the Handler, the application context starts.

  • Remember to close your application context when you end your test. You can use your handler to obtain it.

  • Invoke the execute method of the handler.

7. Testing the Application

To run the tests:

./mvnw test

8. Lambda

Create a Lambda Function. As a runtime, select Custom Runtime. Select the architecture x86_64 and arm64, which match the computer’s architecture, which you will use to build the GraalVM Native image.

create function bootstrap

The Micronaut framework eases the deployment of your functions as a Custom AWS Lambda runtime.

The main API you will interact with is AbstractMicronautLambdaRuntime. This is an abstract class which you can subclass to create your custom runtime mainClass. That class includes the code to perform the Processing Tasks described in the Custom Runtime documentation.

8.1. Upload Code

The generated project contains such a class:

src/main/java/example/micronaut/FunctionLambdaRuntime.java
package example.micronaut;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.events.APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent;
import io.micronaut.function.aws.runtime.AbstractMicronautLambdaRuntime;
import java.net.MalformedURLException;
import com.amazonaws.services.lambda.runtime.RequestHandler;
import io.micronaut.core.annotation.Nullable;
public class FunctionLambdaRuntime extends AbstractMicronautLambdaRuntime<APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent, APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent, APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent, APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent>
{
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            new FunctionLambdaRuntime().run(args);

        } catch (MalformedURLException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    @Override
    @Nullable
    protected RequestHandler<APIGatewayProxyRequestEvent, APIGatewayProxyResponseEvent> createRequestHandler(String... args) {
        return new FunctionRequestHandler();
    }
}
./mvnw package -Dpackaging=docker-native -Dmicronaut.runtime=lambda -Pgraalvm

The above command generates a ZIP file which contains a GraalVM Native Executable of the application, and a bootstrap file which executes the native executable. The GraalVM Native Executable of the application is generated inside a Docker container.

Once you have a ZIP file, upload it

lambda custom runtime uploadcode

8.2. Handler

The handler used is the one created at FunctionLambdaRuntime.

Thus, you don’t need to specify the handler in the AWS Lambda console.

However, I like to specify it in the console as well:

example.micronaut.FunctionRequestHandler

lambda custom runtime functionrequest handler

8.3. Test

You can test it easily.

test event 
{
  "path": "/",
  "httpMethod": "GET",
  "headers": {
    "Accept": "application/json"
  }
}

You should see a 200 response:

aws lambda function graalvm warm startup

9. Next Steps

Explore more features with Micronaut Guides.

Read more about:

10. Help with the Micronaut Framework

The Micronaut Foundation sponsored the creation of this Guide. A variety of consulting and support services are available.

11. License

All guides are released with an Apache license 2.0 license for the code and a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license for the writing and media (images…​).