
Nhan Hoang
October 14, 2024
•
20 min read
Building scalable internal tools becomes easier with Retool, AWS, and Event-Driven Architecture (EDA). This blog introduces RetoolerStock, a serverless inventory management system that automates tasks like stock updates and restocking alerts using AWS services, ensuring efficiency and scalability.
As a developer at Retoolers.io, I’ve had the chances to working on range of projects using Retool. In this journey, I’ve come across several challenges and trends that frequently surface when developing internal tools.
One of the most noticeable trends is the the elevated demand for internal tools. What often begins as a simple solution can quickly evolve into a complex system that requires rapid development and a robust architecture. As these projects expand, the teams behind them also grow, leading to a crucial question: How can we ensure that everyone stays aligned, especially when different projects utilize various technologies?
To tackle these challenges, I recognized the need for a consistent tech stack centered around Retool. Enter serverless architecture—an ideal solution for building scalable and efficient internal tools. AWS offers a suite of serverless services that can seamlessly integrate with Retool, including Step Functions, which are increasingly user-friendly for low-code developers.
However, even with the benefits of serverless computing, complexity can still emerge if the system isn’t designed properly. This is where Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) becomes a game-changer, allowing us to manage these complexities as our projects scale.
In this blog series, we’ll be building an application called RetoolerStock—a serverless, event-driven inventory management system tailored for small warehouses or retail businesses. Each post will guide you step-by-step through the design, development, and deployment of this application, empowering you to master AWS serverless technologies and EDA while solving real-world challenges.
RetoolerStock simplifies inventory management by automating essential tasks, such as:
By leveraging AWS Lambda, DynamoDB, S3, and Step Functions, the application provides warehouse managers with a streamlined interface to effortlessly monitor and manage inventory. Key features include:
The serverless architecture of RetoolerStock ensures automatic scaling and cost efficiency, with event-driven services like EventBridge and SQS enabling real-time updates.
But before we dive into building RetoolerStock, let’s explore two critical concepts that will underpin our application: Serverless Computing and Event-Driven Architecture (EDA).
In today’s software development landscape, especially for small teams working on internal tools, efficiency and cost management are paramount. Serverless computing has emerged as a powerful solution, enabling teams to accelerate development by eliminating the need to manage infrastructure.
In a serverless model, developers write and deploy code without having to deal with the underlying servers, which are fully managed by the cloud provider. This setup speeds up development and reduces operational overhead.
Here are four defining characteristics that make serverless computing stand out:
These characteristics not only streamline development but also offer significant cost savings and operational efficiency, making serverless a compelling choice for modern application development.
For more insights into AWS Serverless, check out AWS Serverless.
Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) is a design pattern that allows applications to respond dynamically to specific events or changes in state. Imagine it like a series of dominoes: when one domino falls (an event), it triggers a chain reaction, leading to various actions or responses.
In an EDA system, we identify several key components:
In traditional architectures, applications often operate on a synchronous request/response model. This means that when a component sends a request (like updating stock), it waits for a response before proceeding. While this approach can be straightforward, it has its limitations, especially as applications grow:
In contrast, EDA promotes asynchronous communication. Here’s how it benefits RetoolerStock:
Backend (AWS):
Frontend (Retool):
Provides the user interface for interacting with the system (CRUD operations on inventory, file management, viewing reports).
In this first part of the series, we’ve laid out the core architecture of RetoolerStock, an inventory management application built using AWS’s powerful serverless offerings. We’ve introduced the concept of serverless computing and event-driven architecture, highlighting how these can help scale and simplify internal tools.
In the upcoming posts, we’ll dive deeper into each component of RetoolerStock, starting with how to integrate AWS Lambda and DynamoDB to handle inventory updates, followed by orchestrating workflows with Step Functions and using S3 for file storage. Step by step, you’ll learn how these services come together to create a robust application using Retool as the interface.
Stay tuned for the next post as we start building the backend logic and see how serverless technologies simplify development!
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