Why might a developer choose to use AWS Lambda Layers?

Selecting AWS Lambda Layers primarily benefits developers by allowing them to efficiently reuse code across multiple Lambda functions. Layers are a distribution mechanism for libraries, custom runtimes, or other dependencies that can be shared among functions. This feature streamlines the process of managing code, as developers can package dependencies in a centralized layer instead of bundling them with each individual function deployment.

By using layers, you can ensure consistency and reduce redundancy in your codebase. For example, if several Lambda functions rely on the same library, rather than including the library with each function, you can create a single layer that all the functions reference. This not only simplifies updates—since changes to the layer automatically propagate to all functions that use it—but also potentially decreases deployment times and minimizes package sizes, which can lead to more efficient development processes.

In contrast, the other options don't address the primary utility of Lambda Layers. The need for RDS does not relate to how Lambda handles functional code. Using Lambda layers does not inherently decrease AWS Cloud storage costs, nor does it correlate with provisioning EC2 instances, which is a separate area of AWS services focused on virtual servers.