AWS Patterns

Purpose

This skill provides decision frameworks and implementation patterns for Amazon Web Services. Navigate AWS's 200+ services through proven selection criteria, architectural patterns, and Well-Architected Framework principles. Focus on practical service selection, cost-aware design, and modern 2025 patterns including Lambda SnapStart, EventBridge Pipes, and S3 Express One Zone.

Use this skill when designing AWS solutions, selecting services for specific workloads, implementing serverless or container architectures, or optimizing existing AWS infrastructure for cost, performance, and reliability.

When to Use This Skill

Invoke this skill when:

• Choosing between Lambda, Fargate, ECS, EKS, or EC2 for compute workloads
• Selecting database services (RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB) based on access patterns
• Designing VPC architecture for multi-tier applications
• Implementing serverless patterns with API Gateway and Lambda
• Building container-based microservices on ECS or EKS
• Applying AWS Well-Architected Framework to designs
• Optimizing AWS costs while maintaining performance
• Implementing security best practices (IAM, KMS, encryption)

Core Service Selection Frameworks

Compute Service Selection

Decision Flow:

Execution Duration:
  <15 minutes → Evaluate Lambda
  >15 minutes → Evaluate containers or VMs

Event-Driven/Scheduled:
  YES → Lambda (serverless)
  NO → Consider traffic patterns

Containerized:
  YES → Need Kubernetes?
    YES → EKS
    NO → ECS (Fargate or EC2)
  NO → Evaluate EC2 or containerize first

Special Requirements:
  GPU/Windows/BYOL licensing → EC2
  Predictable high traffic → EC2 or ECS on EC2 (cost optimization)
  Variable traffic → Lambda or Fargate

Quick Reference: