Containerised Architectures on AWS
- Alyssa Dunn
- Jul 29
- 2 min read
Server-Based vs Serverless: What's the right fit for your application?
If you’re considering hosting a containerised application on AWS, one of the most important architectural decisions you’ll make is whether to use a server-based infrastructure or adopt a serverless container model.
Here’s a breakdown of both approaches to help you decide.
Server-Based Architecture on AWS
This traditional model puts you in charge of managing the infrastructure.
Key characteristics:
You provision and manage EC2 instances yourself.
Full control over the underlying OS, instance type, and scaling policies.
You’re responsible for patching, monitoring, auto-scaling, and ensuring uptime.
Offers maximum customisation but comes with higher operational overhead.
Best suited for:
Lift-and-shift workloads
Custom or legacy applications
Use cases requiring infrastructure-level control
Serverless Container Architecture on AWS
This model eliminates the need to manage servers, allowing teams to focus on deployment and delivery.
Key characteristics:
No servers to manage – AWS handles provisioning, patching, and scaling.
Built-in automatic scaling based on usage or load.
Cost-effective – you only pay for what you use.
Reduces operational complexity, ideal for fast-moving development teams.
Popular options:
Fargate with ECS or EKS – supports custom container workloads with full orchestration.
AWS App Runner – deploy containerised web apps and APIs directly from GitHub or ECR.
AWS Amplify – great for frontend and full-stack serverless web apps, with built-in CI/CD.
Best suited for:
Applications with bursty or unpredictable traffic
CI/CD-heavy development environments
Teams focused on speed and automation
Modern web and mobile apps (React, Vue, static site generators, etc.)
Making the Right Choice
Ultimately, your decision will depend on the trade-offs you’re willing to make between:
Control vs Agility
Predictability vs Flexibility
Customisation vs Operational Simplicity
How Habitat3 Can Help
At Habitat3, we help businesses navigate cloud architecture decisions that align with their goals. Whether you need control and performance or agility and simplicity, we can guide you to the right solution.
