AWS SAM

1. Serverless Application Definition: SAM allows you to define serverless applications using YAML or JSON templates. It introduces simplified syntax for defining AWS resources, such as Lambda functions, API Gateway endpoints, DynamoDB tables, and more.
2. Local Development and Testing: SAM provides a local development environment called "SAM Local" that enables you to test and debug serverless applications on your local machine before deploying them to AWS.
3. Lambda Function Configuration: SAM supports defining event triggers for Lambda functions, such as API Gateway, S3, DynamoDB, and more, directly in the template.
4. Resource Dependencies: SAM simplifies the declaration of resource dependencies, making it easier to create complex serverless applications.
5. Packaging and Deployment: SAM integrates with AWS CloudFormation to package and deploy your serverless applications. It generates CloudFormation templates that define the resources required for your application.
6. Reusable Code: SAM supports the creation of Lambda layers, which allow you to package and reuse common code across multiple functions.
7. Application Metadata: You can define metadata for your serverless application, such as runtime, memory, and timeout settings.
8. Step Functions Integration: SAM supports defining AWS Step Functions state machines as part of your serverless application.

AWS SAM aims to streamline the process of building and deploying serverless applications by providing a simplified and consistent approach to defining resources, handling dependencies, and managing the deployment process. It aligns with best practices for serverless development and enables developers to focus on writing application code while abstracting away much of the underlying infrastructure management.