AWS / aws-lambda

AWS Weekly Roundup: AWS Lambda for .NET 10, AWS Client VPN quickstart, Best of AWS re:Invent, and more (January 12, 2026) (opens in new tab)

The AWS Weekly Roundup for January 2026 highlights a significant push toward modernization, headlined by the introduction of .NET 10 support for AWS Lambda and Apache Airflow 2.11 for Amazon MWAA. To encourage exploration of these and other emerging technologies, AWS has revamped its Free Tier to offer new users up to $200 in credits and six months of risk-free experimentation. These updates collectively aim to streamline serverless development, enhance container storage efficiency, and provide more robust authentication options for messaging services. ### Modernized Runtimes and Orchestration * AWS Lambda now supports .NET 10 as both a managed runtime and a container base image, with AWS providing automatic updates to these environments as they become available. * Amazon Managed Workflows for Apache Airflow (MWAA) has added support for version 2.11, which serves as a critical stepping stone for users preparing to migrate to Apache Airflow 3. ### Infrastructure and Resource Management * Amazon ECS has extended support for `tmpfs` mounts to Linux tasks running on AWS Fargate and Managed Instances; this allows developers to utilize memory-backed file systems for containerized workloads to avoid writing sensitive or temporary data to task storage. * AWS Config has expanded its monitoring capabilities to discover, assess, and audit new resource types across Amazon EC2, Amazon SageMaker, and Amazon S3 Tables. * A new AWS Client VPN quickstart was released, providing a CloudFormation template and a step-by-step guide to automate the deployment of secure client-to-site VPN connections. ### Security and Messaging Enhancements * Amazon MQ for RabbitMQ brokers now supports HTTP-based authentication, which can be enabled and managed through the broker’s configuration file. * RabbitMQ brokers on Amazon MQ also now support certificate-based authentication using mutual TLS (mTLS) to improve the security posture of messaging applications. ### Educational Initiatives and Community Events * New AWS Free Tier accounts now include a 6-month trial period featuring $200 in credits and access to over 30 always-free services, specifically targeting developers interested in AI/ML and compute experimentation. * AWS published a curated "Best of re:Invent 2025" playlist, featuring high-impact sessions and keynotes for those who missed the live event. * The 2026 AWS Summit season begins shortly, with upcoming events scheduled for Dubai on February 10 and Paris on March 10. Developers should take immediate advantage of the new .NET 10 Lambda runtime for serverless applications and review the updated ECS `tmpfs` documentation to optimize container performance. For those new to the platform, the expanded Free Tier credits provide an excellent opportunity to prototype AI/ML workloads with minimal financial risk.

Build multi-step applications and AI workflows with AWS Lambda durable functions (opens in new tab)

AWS Lambda durable functions introduce a simplified way to manage complex, long-running workflows directly within the standard Lambda experience. By utilizing a checkpoint and replay mechanism, developers can now write sequential code for multi-step processes that automatically handle state management and retries without the need for external orchestration services. This feature significantly reduces the cost of long-running tasks by allowing functions to suspend execution for up to one year without incurring compute charges during idle periods. ### Durable Execution Mechanism * The system uses a "durable execution" model based on checkpointing and replay to maintain state across function restarts. * When a function is interrupted or resumes from a pause, Lambda re-executes the handler from the beginning but skips already-completed operations by referencing saved checkpoints. * This architecture ensures that business logic remains resilient to failures and can survive execution environment recycles. * The execution state can be maintained for extended periods, supporting workflows that require human intervention or long-duration external processes. ### Programming Primitives and SDK * The feature requires the inclusion of a new open-source durable execution SDK in the function code. * **Steps:** The `context.step()` method defines specific blocks of logic that the system checkpoints and automatically retries upon failure. * **Wait:** The `context.wait()` primitive allows the function to terminate and release compute resources while waiting for a specified duration, resuming only when the time elapses. * **Callbacks:** Developers can use `create_callback()` to pause execution until an external event, such as an API response or a manual approval, is received. * **Advanced Control:** The SDK includes `wait_for_condition()` for polling external statuses and `parallel()` or `map()` operations for managing concurrent execution paths. ### Configuration and Setup * Durable execution must be enabled at the time of the Lambda function's creation; it cannot be retroactively enabled for existing functions. * Once enabled, the function maintains the same event handler structure and service integrations as a standard Lambda function. * The environment is specifically optimized for high-reliability use cases like payment processing, AI agent orchestration, and complex order management. AWS Lambda durable functions represent a major shift for developers who need the power of stateful orchestration but prefer to keep their logic within a single code-based environment. It is highly recommended for building AI workflows and multi-step business processes where state persistence and cost-efficiency are critical requirements.