How do you create a Lambda function in the AWS Console?

The AWS Management Console provides a user-friendly interface to create, configure, and deploy Lambda functions without writing infrastructure code. It’s ideal for beginners or quick prototyping.

Steps to Create a Lambda Function in AWS Console

1
Log in to the AWS Management Console.
2
Navigate to the AWS Lambda service.
3
Click the “Create function” button.
4
Choose 'Author from scratch'.
5
Enter the function name.
6
Select a runtime (e.g., Node.js, Python, Java, etc.).
7
Choose or create an execution role (IAM role).
8
Click 'Create function' to finish the setup.
9
After creation, configure the code, triggers, environment variables, and other settings.

Lambda Function Runtime Example (Node.js)

Difficulty: 3/10

Topics: Lambda creation, Console UI, Configuration

Scenario Questions

0-2 years experience

1
Walk me through the steps you'd take in the AWS Management Console to create a new Lambda function that processes S3 events.
2
If you needed to add an environment variable during creation, where would you specify it and what UI elements would you use?
3
What default runtime does the console select if you don't change it, and how would you change it?

2-5 years experience

1
You deployed a Lambda via the console but it's not receiving S3 events; what console settings would you check to troubleshoot?
2
When creating a Lambda in the console, you need to give it permission to read from a DynamoDB table. How would you configure that, and what trade‑offs does using the console's inline policy vs. attaching a managed role present?
3
Suppose you need to set a higher timeout and memory for a function after it's been created. Explain how you'd modify those settings in the console and any impact on cost.

5-8 years experience

1
Your team wants to standardize Lambda creation across many services using the console. How would you design a reusable template or configuration in the console to enforce naming, runtime, and IAM policies, and what limitations would you face?
2
If you notice cold start latency spikes for functions created via the console, what console‑available options could you adjust to mitigate, and how would you evaluate their effectiveness?
3
Discuss how you would integrate console‑based Lambda creation into a CI/CD pipeline, considering versioning, deployment safety, and auditability.

8+ years experience

1
Your organization is migrating from manually created console Lambdas to infrastructure‑as‑code. How would you plan the transition to ensure existing functions remain operational, and what role does the console play in the migration strategy?
2
When multiple teams use the console to create Lambdas with differing security postures, how would you establish governance and guardrails at the account level?
3
If you need to deprecate a legacy Lambda that was created via the console but still referenced by many services, how would you orchestrate its retirement while maintaining backward compatibility?

Follow-up Questions

❓How would you verify the function was deployed correctly?
❓What would you do if the function failed to start after creation?
❓Can you outline how you might automate this creation process?