Run your app in containers — ECS and Fargate

Your goal

Create a container service configuration and change its desired task count.

Why this matters

A service describes how many container tasks an app wants. You will create a task definition and service, change its desired count, and read the result. The emulator does not run those containers here.

Words you will use

ECS organizes containers. Fargate supplies their computing power. A task is a running copy. A task definition is its recipe.

How to proceed

Start a fresh emulator, read each numbered step, and enter the practice settings shown. Run the action, inspect its API receipt, then continue. Finish lab checks the emulator state again before saving your progress.

1. Create the service configuration

Create a private network, an ECS cluster, a task definition, and a service with one desired task. The emulator stores these resources; it does not pull and run the container image.

2. Change the desired count

Choose how many task copies the service should aim to run. Save the new desired count. A desired count is a target, not proof that healthy containers are running.

Desired task count: Choose 1–4 task copies for the practice service. Suggested practice value: 2.

3. Inspect the service target

Describe the service and find desiredCount. Compare it with your input and inspect the task definition reference. This lab verifies deployment configuration, not container health.

Practice, then check your understanding

Perform the actions yourself and inspect the returned state. Errors keep your settings so you can retry. Starting another lab clears the previous live environment. Earned XP is kept, and signed-in achievements sync to your account. Replay does not award duplicate XP.

Read the official AWS documentation for service behavior and production details.