# Serverless Orchestration

> Serverless Orchestration (Step Functions)

- Skill: `j4flmao/serverless-orchestration` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add j4flmao/serverless-orchestration`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/j4flmao/serverless-orchestration/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: j4flmao (https://skillmd.com/u/j4flmao)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/j4flmao/serverless-orchestration

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# Serverless Orchestration (Step Functions)

## Core Architecture

When building complex serverless applications, orchestrating multiple AWS Lambda functions becomes a challenge. AWS Step Functions solve this by maintaining state across functions using State Machines.

### 1. State Machines (JSON ASL)
Defined using the Amazon States Language (ASL). You can define logical flows: `Task`, `Choice` (If/Else), `Parallel`, `Map` (For-loop), and `Wait`.
- **Stateless Lambdas:** Lambdas should do one thing and forget. Step Functions hold the state and pass the output of one Lambda as the input to the next.

### 2. Error Handling & Retries
Step Functions natively support try/catch blocks, exponential backoff retries, and dead-letter queue routing without writing any code inside the Lambda.

### Orchestration Map

```mermaid
%%{init: {"theme": "default", "flowchart": {"useMaxWidth": true}}}%%
flowchart TD
    subgraph Orchestrator ["AWS Step Functions (State Machine)"]
        A["Start"]
        B["Task: Process Payment (Lambda)"]
        C{"Choice: Payment Success?"}
        D["Task: Fulfill Order (Lambda)"]
        E["Task: Send Fail Email (Lambda)"]
        F["End"]
    end
    
    A --> B
    B --> C
    C -->|"Yes"| D
    C -->|"No"| E
    D --> F
    E --> F
```