Quick decision table
| The question asks about | First choice |
|---|---|
| Architecture best-practice standard | Well-Architected Framework |
| Six-pillar review, risks, and milestones | Well-Architected Tool |
| Account and resource best-practice recommendations | Trusted Advisor |
| Configuration history and rule compliance | AWS Config |
| Metrics, logs, and alarms | CloudWatch |
| Per-request call path, latency, and errors | AWS X-Ray |
| API activity audit | CloudTrail |
| Compile, test, and package | CodeBuild |
| Orchestrate stages from source to deployment | CodePipeline |
| Deploy an application revision | CodeDeploy |
| GraphQL and real-time subscriptions | AppSync |
| Full-stack web/mobile development and hosting | Amplify |
| REST, HTTP, or WebSocket APIs | API Gateway |
| Voice, chat, IVR, and agents | Connect |
| Application email | SES |
| Individual app / full desktop / isolated browser | Applications / WorkSpaces / Secure Browser |
| Device connectivity, telemetry, and commands | IoT Core |
Three high-frequency boundaries
- Pipeline directs the workflow, Build produces the artifact, and Deploy releases it.
- AppSync handles GraphQL, API Gateway handles general APIs, and Amplify handles the web/mobile full-stack experience.
- Connect is a contact center, SES is email, and SNS publishes notifications.
Typical serverless combinations
- Web API: API Gateway → Lambda → DynamoDB, with X-Ray for request tracing.
- Static-site contact form: S3 → API Gateway → Lambda → SES.
- Cloud contact center: Connect → agents or Lambda extensions.
Key takeaway
Identify the object first: standard, review, configuration, runtime, trace, build, pipeline, API, email, contact center, application, desktop, browser, or device.