Overview

This solution creates a serverless architecture to initiate cost-effective image processing in the AWS Cloud. The architecture combines AWS services with sharp open-source image processing software and is optimized for dynamic image manipulation. You can use this solution to help you maintain high-quality images on your websites and mobile applications to drive user engagement.
Benefits

Deliver dynamic images at run-time based on your customer’s device.
Detect and blur inappropriate images using Amazon Rekognition.
Crop images using the facial recognition capabilities of Amazon Rekognition.
Deploy a simple web interface where you can to interact directly with your image handler API endpoint using image files that already exist in your account.
Save on storage costs via automated version control, eliminating multiple versions of images.
Technical details

The diagram below presents the serverless architecture you can deploy in minutes using the solution's implementation guide and accompanying AWS CloudFormation template.
Step 1
The AWS CloudFormation template deploys an Amazon CloudFront distribution that provides a caching layer to reduce the cost of image processing and the latency of subsequent image delivery. The CloudFront domain name provides cached access to the image handler API.
Step 2
Amazon API Gateway to provide endpoint resources and initiate the AWS Lambda function.
Step 3
A Lambda function that retrieves the image from a customer’s existing Amazon S3 bucket and uses Sharp to return a modified version of the image to the API Gateway.
Step 4
An Amazon S3 bucket for log storage, separate from your customer-created S3 bucket for storing images. If selected, the solution deploys an S3 bucket for storing the optional demo UI.
Step 5
If you activate the image URL signature feature, the Lambda function retrieves the secret value from your existing AWS Secrets Manager secret to validate the signature.
Step 6
If you use the smart crop or content moderation features, the AWS Lambda function calls Amazon Rekognition to analyze your image and returns the results.
Related content


When product design and software development company Perpetual began working with a new sports startup client, Perpetual quickly realized that it needed a solution for an image management tool that was both flexible and cost effective. Perpetual found the optimal fit for its challenge: Serverless Image Handler.
Serverless Image Handler (SIH) is an AWS Solution Implementation you use to store a single version of every image featured in your content, while dynamically delivering different versions at runtime based on your end user’s device.