Expiring DynamoDB items using Time to Live (TTL)

DynamoDB is a managed NoSQL database service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It provides a fast and flexible way to store and retrieve data, with seamless scalability and reliability. One of the most useful features of DynamoDB is the Time to Live (TTL) feature, which allows you to automatically delete expired items from your table. This feature is useful for managing data with a limited lifespan, such as session data, temporary logs, and cache entries.

What is the TTL feature?

The TTL feature is a mechanism that allows you to automatically delete items from a DynamoDB table after a specified time period. You can set the TTL for each item in the table by adding a special attribute called “ttl” with a Unix timestamp value. When the TTL expires, DynamoDB automatically removes the item from the table. This feature is especially useful for managing data that has a limited lifespan, such as session data, temporary logs, and cache entries.

How to enable the TTL feature?

Enabling the TTL feature in DynamoDB is a simple process. First, you need to create a table or update an existing table to include a TTL attribute. You can do this by navigating to the DynamoDB console and selecting the table you want to update. Then, click on the “Edit TTL” button and enter the name of the attribute…