What is a disadvantage of serverless computing?

In serverless computing, one of the key disadvantages is related to latency and spin-up time. When a function is invoked, the cloud provider may need to allocate resources for executing that function, particularly if it’s the first time the function is being called after a period of inactivity. This process can introduce a delay known as "cold start." During a cold start, the function may take longer to execute as it requires time to allocate resources, initialize the function environment, and execute the code. This can result in increased latency, which is particularly problematic for applications that demand real-time processing or consistent performance.

While other options may seem plausible, they do not align as closely with the inherent characteristics of serverless architectures. For instance, serverless computing typically has low initial costs since users only pay for the time their code executes, contrasting with high initial costs seen in traditional setups. A complex user interface is not a defining trait of serverless frameworks and can vary depending on the platform used. Guaranteed performance levels are generally less associated with serverless models, as performance may fluctuate due to shared resource allocation among multiple tenants on the cloud platform.