FaaS is a framework for building serverless functions with Docker which has first class support for metrics. Any process can be packaged as a function enabling you to consume a range of web events without repetitive boiler-plate coding.
**Highlights**
* Ease of use through UI portal and *one-click* install
* Write functions in any language for Linux or Windows and package in Docker/OCI image format
* Portable - runs on existing hardware or public/private cloud - [Kubernetes](https://github.com/openfaas/faas-netes) or Docker Swarm
*[CLI](http://github.com/openfaas/faas-cli) available with YAML format for templating and defining functions
* You can make any Docker image into a serverless function by adding the *Function Watchdog* (a tiny Golang HTTP server)
* The *Function Watchdog* is the entrypoint allowing HTTP requests to be forwarded to the target process via STDIN. The response is sent back to the caller by writing to STDOUT from your application.
### Gateway
* The API Gateway provides an external route into your functions and collects Cloud Native metrics through Prometheus.
* Your API Gateway will scale functions according to demand by altering the service replica count in the Docker Swarm or Kubernetes API.
* A UI is baked in allowing you to invoke functions in your browser and create new ones as needed.
### CLI
Any container or process in a Docker container can be a serverless function in FaaS. Using the [FaaS CLI](http://github.com/openfaas/faas-cli) you can deploy your functions or quickly create new functions from templates such as Node.js or Python.
## Notable mentions
### Closing Keynote at Dockercon 2017
Functions as a Service or FaaS was a winner in the Cool Hacks contest for Dockercon 2017.
*[Watch my FaaS keynote at Dockercon 2017](https://blog.docker.com/2017/04/dockercon-2017-mobys-cool-hack-sessions/)
If you'd like to find the functions I used in the demos head over to the [faas-dockercon](https://github.com/alexellis/faas-dockercon/) repository.
### InfoWorld
Serdar Yegulalp Senior Technical Writer covered FaaS in a write-up looking at serverless in the open-source world:
[Open source project uses Docker for serverless computing](http://www.infoworld.com/article/3184757/open-source-tools/open-source-project-uses-docker-for-serverless-computing.html#tk.twt_ifw)
### Online community
There is also a community being built around FaaS with talks, demos and sample functions being built out.
[Find out about community activity](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/blob/master/community.md)
## Getting started
**Jump straight in**
Run your first function in 10-15 minutes with this *new* guide.
[Your first serverless Python function with OpenFaaS](https://blog.alexellis.io/introducing-functions-as-a-service/)
**Introducing OpenFaaS blog post**
Read up on the background, the top 3 highlighted features and what's coming next:
[Introducing Functions as a Service (FaaS)](https://blog.alexellis.io/introducing-functions-as-a-service/)
**Test Drive OpenFaaS**
You can [TestDrive](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/blob/master/TestDrive.md) FaaS on your laptop in 60 seconds, or deploy to a free online Docker playground. Find out more in the [TestDrive](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/blob/master/TestDrive.md).
You can dive straight into the [sample functions here](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/blob/master/sample-functions/README.md). You'll find hello-world examples for the most common programming languages including: Golang, DotNet Core, Java, NodeJS, Python even BusyBox.
The [faas-cli](https://github.com/openfaas/faas-cli/) lets you speed up development by creating functions from templates for:
..or whatever langauge you can create your own template for.
You can also use the CLI to deploy to your own FaaS API Gateway with a single command.
**Contribute to OpenFaaS**
FaaS enables you to run your serverless functions in whatever language you like, wherever you like - for however long you need.
Contributions to the project are welcome - please send in issues and questions through Github.
[See issues and PRs](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/issues)
*What about the name?*
FaaS is becoming OpenFaas, see more here: [Issue 123](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/issues/123)
Please see our [new documentation site](https://docs.openfaas.com) or our [more detailed set of guides on GitHub](https://github.com/openfaas/faas/tree/master/guide).
