AWS API Gateway HTTP API: How to Set Up, Secure, and Deploy

Introduction

AWS API Gateway provides a robust solution for creating, publishing, maintaining, monitoring, and securing APIs at any scale. HTTP APIs, in particular, offer a simple way to manage RESTful services with minimal overhead. In this guide, we'll walk through setting up an HTTP API with API Gateway, securing it, and easily deploying your service.

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Setting Up AWS API Gateway HTTP API

1. Creating an HTTP API
   
   

• Log in to the AWS Management Console.
  
  

• Navigate to the API Gateway section.
  
  

• Select Create API and choose HTTP API.
  
  

• Configure the API with a name and description.
  
  

• Select a Regional endpoint for broader coverage.
  
  

2. Define Resources and Methods
   
   

• After creating the API, you can make a resource (like /users).
  
  

• Define methods such as GET, POST, or DELETE for each resource.
  
  

• Link each method to a backend service (e.g., Lambda, DynamoDB, HTTP endpoint).
  
  

3. Integrate with Lambda
   
   

• Under Integration, choose Lambda function.
  
  

• Select an existing Lambda function or create a new one for API processing.
  
  

• Assign the correct permissions to allow API Gateway to invoke your Lambda.
  
  

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Securing Your API Gateway

1. Enable Authorization with AWS IAM
   
   

• Navigate to the Authorization section in API Gateway.
  
  

• Choose AWS IAM to control access through user roles and policies.
  
  

• Attach IAM roles to secure sensitive endpoints.
  
  

2. OAuth2 and Custom Authorizers
   
   

• You can use OAuth2 for more complex authentication flows, integrating services like Amazon Cognito or external identity providers.
  
  

• Create a custom Lambda authorizer to apply fine-grained access control to your API.
  
  

3. Rate Limiting and Throttling
   
   

• Set Rate Limiting and Quota policies in the API Gateway settings to avoid overuse.
  
  

• Control how many requests a user can make per minute or day.
  
  

4. Enable SSL/TLS Encryption
   
   

• API Gateway provides HTTPS endpoints by default, but you can also configure custom SSL certificates for domain names.
  
  

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Deploying Your HTTP API

1. Create a Stage for Deployment
   
   

• A Stage is a deployment environment for your API (e.g., dev, prod).
  
  

• Define the stage URL and deploy the API for access.
  
  

2. Test the API Endpoint
   
   

• After deployment, test the endpoint with tools like Postman or cURL to ensure it responds correctly to requests.
  
  

3. Monitor with CloudWatch
   
   

• Enable CloudWatch logs to track API performance and debug issues.
  
  

• Set CloudWatch Alarms to notify when thresholds (like error rates) are breached.
  
  

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Conclusion

Setting up, securing, and deploying an HTTP API using AWS API Gateway efficiently handles RESTful services. Integrating Lambda, IAM authorization, and SSL certificates ensures your API is secure and scalable.