Netlify Functions

Netlify Functions provides zero-configuration serverless functions for Netlify-hosted sites — place functions in the netlify/functions directory, deploy with the site, and they're immediately available at /.netlify/functions/{name}. No separate Lambda setup required. Edge Functions (Deno-based) provide sub-millisecond response times for edge-compute scenarios. For agents: the Netlify API manages function deploys, retrieves function logs, and manages site configuration. Free tier (125k invocations/month) is generous. Best fit for teams already on Netlify for static site hosting. Confidence is docs-derived.

Netlify API at api.netlify.com/api/v1. Function management: GET /sites/{siteId}/functions lists deployed functions. GET /sites/{siteId}/functions/{function_name} retrieves function details. Function invocation: direct HTTP to /.netlify/functions/{function_name} (no API auth required for public functions; configure JWT auth for private). Site builds: POST /sites/{siteId}/builds triggers a site rebuild (redeploys functions). GET /deploys/{deployId} checks deploy status. Logs: GET /accounts/{accountId}/billing/functions/log retrieves function invocations. netlify CLI: netlify deploy --prod for production deploy; netlify functions:invoke {name} for local testing. netlify.toml: [functions] directory="netlify/functions" for function discovery.

Netlify API: Authorization: Bearer {access_token}. Access tokens from Netlify → User Settings → Applications → OAuth Apps (Personal Access Tokens). HTTPS enforced. No OAuth2 for simple API access. Function-level auth: Netlify JWT context (user identity if Netlify Identity enabled); or implement custom auth inside function code. Edge Functions: deployed via netlify.toml [edge_functions] configuration — invoked at edge before origin.

Function timeout: 10 seconds (Netlify Functions); 50ms CPU (Edge Functions). Cold start: 250-500ms for Lambda-backed functions (not Edge). 200 for function success; function code returns HTTP status. Deploy: functions deploy atomically with site — no partial function deployment. Background functions: up to 15-minute timeout via async invocation. Netlify uptime at netlifystatus.com. Free tier limits: 125k invocations/month, 100 hours compute/month. Logs: function invocation logs accessible in Netlify dashboard (API log access limited). Netlify Identity: optional user auth service — integrates with functions for user-specific logic.

docs.netlify.com/functions covers function setup, netlify.toml configuration, Edge Functions documentation, local development guide, and Netlify Identity integration. Getting started: existing Netlify site (free), create function in netlify/functions — deployed on next site deploy. netlify CLI: npm install -g netlify-cli. Community via Netlify Community and Discord (active). Good documentation for the JAMstack-integrated serverless use case.