Which AWS Service Runs Application Code Without Managing Servers?

CLF-C02 By islever Editorial Last updated

Identify AWS compute services.

Short answer

B AWS Lambda runs application code serverlessly, automatically managing compute resources so the company does not provision or manage servers.

Question

A company wants to run its application's code without having to provision and manage servers. Which AWS service will meet this requirement?
  1. AWS Glue
  2. AWS Lambda Correct Answer
  3. AWS CodeDeploy
  4. Amazon CodeGuru

Key Takeaways

The exam tests recognition of serverless compute, and the trap is confusing Lambda with services that deploy code or run specialized ETL or ML workloads.

This CLF-C02 question tests serverless compute and asks which AWS service runs application code without provisioning or managing servers. The page confirms AWS Lambda is the correct answer, distinguishing it from Glue, CodeDeploy, and CodeGuru.

Common mistake: A common mistake is choosing AWS CodeDeploy because it sounds like it runs application code, but CodeDeploy only automates deployments and still relies on compute targets to execute the application.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

AWS Lambda is the only option that provides serverless compute where the company uploads application code and AWS handles provisioning, scaling, and server management. The requirement says the company wants to run its application's code without provisioning or managing servers, which is Lambda's core execution model. As d00b229 noted, Lambda "automatically handles the compute resources" needed to execute uploaded code, scaling as required. ShaiTay's concise "serverless" label captures the same exam trigger. Therefore B meets the stated requirement directly.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

AWS Glue is a serverless data integration and ETL service, not a general application code execution platform. AWS CodeDeploy automates application deployments to targets such as EC2, Lambda, or on-premises servers; it does not itself run the application's code without servers. Amazon CodeGuru is a developer tool for code review and application performance profiling, not a compute runtime. None of A, C, or D satisfies the "run code without provisioning and managing servers" requirement as directly as Lambda.

Community Comment Notes

Nikmah's comment lists Lambda traits such as "Limited runtimes" and "Serverless," which are useful reminders that serverless does not mean unlimited. d00b229 explains that uploaded code is executed while Lambda manages underlying infrastructure, matching the exam wording. ShaiTay simply labels the answer "serverless"; all visible comments align with B. No community disagreement appears, but the decision still rests on Lambda's compute model rather than vote count.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

When a question says "without provisioning and managing servers," first look for a serverless compute service such as AWS Lambda. Eliminate tools whose names suggest code or deployment, like CodeDeploy and CodeGuru, unless the requirement is specifically CI/CD or code analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is AWS CodeDeploy not the answer for running application code?

CodeDeploy automates deployments to targets such as EC2 or Lambda, but it does not provide the serverless compute runtime that executes the application code.

Does AWS Glue satisfy the requirement to run application code without servers?

No. Glue is a serverless ETL and data integration service; it runs data processing jobs, not general application code as described in the question.

More CLF-C02 FAQ →

Community Votes

B
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 3 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 3

  1. d00b229 👍 1
    B. AWS Lambda AWS Lambda allows you to run your code without provisioning or managing servers. You can upload your code to Lambda, and it automatically handles the compute resources needed to execute your code, scaling as required and managing the underlying infrastructure.
  2. Nikmah 👍 1 Answered B
    Lambda: • Time limit • Limited runtimes • Limited temporary disk space • Serverless
  3. ShaiTay 👍 2 Answered B
    B. AWS Lambda - serverless

Reader comments & corrections

No reader corrections yet — spotted an error or have a note? Share it below.

Log in to comment, report an error, or add a note about this question.

Which migration strategies move a cloud-incompatible CMS with least effort?

S-grade

Launching Third-Party IDS in AWS

S-grade

Which AWS Support Plan Offers API Access Most Cost-Effectively?

S-grade

S3 Express One Zone for Single-Digit Millisecond Latency

S-grade

Practice All CLF-C02 Questions

Access 120 questions with complete answers and detailed explanations.

View Full CLF-C02 Practice Test →

← Back to CLF-C02 Study Guide