Build priority-based message processing with Amazon MQ and AWS App Runner

This article explains how to build a priority-based message processing system using Amazon MQ, DynamoDB, and AWS App Runner for handling time-sensitive business operations.

• Three-tier priority routing: high-priority messages bypass delays, standard messages wait, low-priority process last
• Uses JMS priority levels (9, 4, 0) with Amazon MQ for automatic message ordering
• DynamoDB stores message state; DynamoDB Streams enable real-time WebSocket updates
• AWS App Runner provides serverless compute with automatic scaling
• Dual-layer retry mechanisms and dead-letter queues ensure reliability
• Application-level delays with CompletableFuture for non-blocking processing
• Complete infrastructure-as-code deployment using AWS CDK
• Includes React frontend for real-time status visibility
• Security: VPC isolation, KMS encryption, least-privilege IAM policies
• Cost estimates range $53-$1,570 monthly depending on message volume

The solution demonstrates a production-ready architecture combining managed AWS services to intelligently route messages by priority while providing real-time user feedback and maximum reliability through comprehensive error handling.