DecodeDevOps

AWS Architecture, Decoded

Stop memorising AWS services. Watch one app grow from a single server to microservices, and finally see how the pieces fit together.

See the three versions Read the free sample
  • 13 chapters, 98 pages
  • 45+ diagrams
  • 7 architectures
  • Made for reading on your phone
The cover of AWS Architecture, Decoded with two sample pages behind it

One app, six upgrades

The guide follows a single app as it grows. Each upgrade fixes a problem the last version couldn't handle, and every box and arrow is explained with a diagram.

  1. One serverIn the free sample
  2. Highly availableFull guide
  3. Secure and fastFull guide
  4. ServerlessFull guide
  5. MicroservicesFull guide
  6. Event-drivenFull guide
Read the first step free, then decide.Get the free sample

What's inside the full guide

The foundations first, then the architectures that use them. Read in order, or jump straight in with the clickable contents.

  1. Cloud computingThe electricity analogy, service and deployment models
  2. Introduction to AWSRegions, Availability Zones, edge locations, Free Tier
  3. Virtual Private CloudSubnets, route tables, NAT, NACLs, security groups
  4. Elastic Compute CloudInstance families, pricing, AMIs, load balancers, Auto Scaling
  5. StorageEBS, snapshots, instance store, EFS, S3 classes
  6. DatabasesRDS, Multi-AZ vs read replicas, Aurora, DynamoDB
  7. Identity and access managementUsers, roles, policies and how AWS evaluates them
  8. Architecture 1: three-tierFrom one server to highly available, secure and fast
  9. Architecture 2: serverlessA ToDo API on API Gateway, Lambda and DynamoDB
  10. Architecture 3: microservicesThe same app on Amazon EKS, then Amazon ECS
  11. Architecture 4: event-drivenSNS fan-out, SQS queues and dead-letter queues
  12. Cloud Practitioner exam mapWhere each exam domain is covered, plus the essentials
  13. What next?How to practise and keep going
Sample page from the Databases chapter with a diagram of purpose-built databases
Every concept gets its own diagram
Sample page from Architecture 1 showing a request travelling through Route 53, a load balancer, EC2 and RDS
Architectures explained step by step
Sample page from the interview question bank with tagged questions and answers
Pro Bundle: the interview question bank

Pick your version

Start free, then get the full guide, or add everything you need for interviews.

Free

$0+

Try the teaching style before you buy.

  • Chapter 1: cloud computing
  • Architecture 1, Version 1: the three-tier app
  • 14-page PDF
Get the free sample

Standard

$15+

The complete guide.

  • 13 chapters, 98 pages
  • 45+ diagrams
  • 7 architectures that build on each other
  • Cloud Practitioner exam map
  • Free future editions
Buy Standard
Best for interviews

Pro Bundle

$29+

The guide plus interview prep.

  • Everything in Standard
  • 150 interview questions with answers
  • Hands-on labs with ready-to-run scripts
  • All 49 diagrams as PNG images
  • Free future editions
Buy the Pro Bundle

Who it's for

Anyone in software who works with, or near, the cloud.

  • Students and freshersStarting a career in cloud, DevOps or backend development
  • DevelopersBackend, frontend, full-stack or mobile, who want to know where their code runs
  • DevOps, SRE and platform engineersComing from Azure, Google Cloud or on-premises
  • Experienced AWS engineersWanting a fast visual refresher before an interview or design review
  • QA, support and system administratorsMoving into cloud roles
  • Data and ML engineersWho need the infrastructure under their pipelines
  • Tech leads, architects and managersWho explain designs to teams and stakeholders
  • Interview and exam candidatesPreparing for AWS interviews or the Cloud Practitioner exam

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Questions

What format is it?

A PDF designed for phone screens, with page numbers, bookmarks and a clickable contents page. It works just as well on a tablet or laptop. The Pro Bundle is a ZIP with the guide, the question bank, the labs and the diagram images.

Do I need an AWS account?

No. The guide explains everything with diagrams. The Pro Bundle labs are optional, and they include cleanup scripts so nothing keeps running after you finish.

Is this for the Cloud Practitioner exam?

It builds the understanding the exam assumes and includes a map of where each exam domain is covered. Pair it with practice tests for the exam's question style.

I already work with Azure or Google Cloud. Is it too basic?

You'll move quickly through the foundations and get the most from the architectures, where AWS services are compared and combined the way you'd use them at work.

Do I get updates?

Yes. Every future edition is free for buyers. You'll find new versions in your Gumroad library.

What if it doesn't help?

Paid versions have a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Understand AWS architecture in a weekend.

Buy Standard Get the Pro Bundle