Netlify Functions

Netlify Functions is the serverless compute layer of the Netlify platform, designed so that backend logic ships in the same project and the same deploy as the frontend it belongs to. Netlify reports that more than 700 million functions run on the platform every day, covering work such as calling an API, running an AI feature, taking a payment or kicking off a background job.

The product splits into several function types matched to different execution shapes. Standard functions stand up JSON endpoints that a frontend or a third party can call, with the path set in config. Background functions run for up to 15 minutes for work such as AI generation, file processing or data crunching; they respond to the caller immediately and keep working afterwards so the application stays responsive, writing results to Netlify Database, Blobs or a webhook. Scheduled functions take a schedule in config and fire on their own for nightly syncs, digest emails or cleanup, with no scheduler to maintain. Typed event handlers receive webhooks from third-party services or subscribe to platform events such as signups and deploys.

Portability is an explicit design goal. Netlify uses the same module shape as Deno, Bun, Hono and Nitro, so existing code ports with little change. AI work is supported through AI Gateway, which provides access to proprietary and open models from a single function, with results stored in Netlify Database.

Security and rollback are handled at the platform level. Server-side functions can verify identity and gate content before any data leaves, which the browser cannot bypass. Every change gets a preview before it is public and any version can be rolled back in one click. Plans start at a free tier.