AWS offers multiple services for decoupling business domains in event-driven patterns. The three main ones are EventBridge, SNS, and SQS. Use EventBridge for targeted content-based routing when you need to match complex rules. By Arpad Toth.
This blog post provides a concise comparison of three key AWS services essential for building event-driven architectures: Amazon EventBridge, Simple Notification Service (SNS), and Simple Queue Service (SQS). Each serves distinct purposes in decoupling business logic from infrastructure.
- EventBridge is ideal for complex content-based routing. It excels when you need to deliver events based on specific message criteria to targeted destinations (up to five) using rules defined on an event bus.
- SNS handles fan-out scenarios effectively. Use SNS when you need real-time, one-to-many broadcast notifications; it supports various protocols and can guarantee order for critical applications via FIFO topics.
- SQS provides buffering and reliable message handling. When downstream systems are rate-limited or require protection against spikes (e.g., protecting a third-party API), SQS queues store messages temporarily, allowing controlled processing.
The author uses an e-commerce scenario involving different order types to illustrate these points clearly. Key considerations include SNS’s fanout capabilities with filtering and EventBridge Pipes as potential alternatives for some use cases like handling AWS service events point-to-point. This comparison helps CIOs understand the trade-offs between these services, guiding architectural decisions towards appropriate routing, notification, or buffering strategies. Links to further reading are also provided. Good read!
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