EC2 vs Lambda: How to Choose the Right AWS Backend for Node.js Apps

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When deploying a Node.js backend on AWS, developers face a fundamental choice between running a traditional server on EC2 or adopting a serverless architecture using API Gateway and Lambda. EC2 offers full control over the operating system, processes, and networking, but requires ongoing maintenance, security updates, and manual scaling configuration. Lambda eliminates much of that infrastructure overhead and simplifies auto-scaling, but introduces trade-offs such as cold starts, execution limits, and more complex database connection management. A third option — containerizing the app with ECS or Fargate — offers a middle ground, especially for teams already using Docker. The best choice ultimately depends on factors like traffic patterns, team experience, and operational requirements rather than which approach is considered most modern.

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