Ask HN: What are the alternatives to Amazon Lambda?

Iron Workers: http://www.iron.io/worker/

Most new breed Docker hosts like http://tutum.co can give you a quick DIY version.

But in general they (Amazon) are (currently) the best of breed and I have only positive things to say having used the JS and Java versions.

We used to use Joyent Manta for the same purpose we are now using Lambda. Joyent worked well, but Lambda works significantly better (speed-wise) and significantly cheaper.

In a way, Amazon Lambda is just "upload a PHP script to my $3 shared webhost", except:

   - JavaScript/Java/Python instead of PHP
   - Can handle gigantic bucketloads of requests per second, transparently

If you don't expect to scale super high, and if the actual language isn't sacred to you, then you can get the exact same ease of deployment and a comparably large ecosystem of open source on your favorite el cheapo webhost.

Many of the reasons Lambda is attractive are the same reasons PHP became so popular (despite the not-so-awesome language).

Newbie question: what does "Amazon Lambda" have to do with functional programming? (Because the name suggests there is a connection).