AWS API Gateway Getting Started Guide (2026)

Getting started overview

This guide provides a focused walkthrough for initiating development with AWS API Gateway. It outlines the essential steps from setting up an AWS account to making your first successful API call. We will cover account creation, IAM user configuration for secure access, and the deployment of a basic API endpoint, followed by a test request.

AWS API Gateway acts as a front door for applications to access data, business logic, or functionality from your backend services. Before diving into specific API types (REST, HTTP, WebSocket), understanding the foundational setup is key. The process involves:

1. AWS Account Setup: Establishing an account and securing it with an IAM user.
2. API Creation: Using the AWS Management Console to define a simple API.
3. Deployment: Making the API accessible through a stage.
4. Testing: Invoking the API endpoint.

This page focuses on a basic REST API setup, as it is a common starting point for many integrations. For more advanced configurations or different API types, consult the AWS API Gateway developer reference.

Create an account and get keys

To begin with AWS API Gateway, you first need an AWS account. If you do not have one, you can sign up on the AWS homepage. New accounts automatically qualify for the AWS Free Tier, which includes 1 million API calls per month for various API types for the first 12 months.

Step 1: Sign up for an AWS Account

Navigate to the AWS Free Tier page and follow the instructions to create a new account. This typically involves providing an email address, creating a password, and entering billing information (though charges won't occur within the free tier limits).

Step 2: Create an IAM User (Recommended)

Directly using the root user credentials for API operations is not recommended due to security implications. Instead, create an Identity and Access Management (IAM) user with specific permissions. This adheres to the principle of least privilege.

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console as the root user.
2. Search for and select IAM.
3. In the navigation pane, choose Users, then Add user.
4. Enter a User name (e.g., apigateway-developer).
5. Select Programmatic access under Access type. This generates an access key ID and secret access key.
6. Click Next: Permissions.
7. Select Attach existing policies directly.
8. Search for and select AdministratorAccess for initial setup simplicity. For production environments, apply more restrictive policies like AmazonAPIGatewayAdministrator and AWSLambda_FullAccess if integrating with Lambda. Consult the AWS IAM documentation on managed policies for best practices.
9. Click Next: Tags (optional), then Next: Review, and finally Create user.
10. Crucially, download the .csv file containing the Access key ID and Secret access key. These credentials are shown only once. Store them securely.

Step 3: Configure AWS CLI or SDK

For making API requests, you will typically use the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) or one of the AWS SDKs. This guide will use the CLI for simplicity.

1. Install the AWS CLI if you haven't already.
2. Configure the CLI with your new IAM user credentials:

   aws configure

   When prompted, enter your Access Key ID, Secret Access Key, default region (e.g., us-east-1), and default output format (e.g., json).

Your first request

This section walks through creating a simple HTTP GET endpoint using AWS API Gateway that integrates with a mock backend (or a simple Lambda function if preferred). We'll use the console for expeditious setup.

Step 1: Create a REST API

1. Go to the AWS API Gateway console.
2. Click Create API.
3. Under REST API, click Build.
4. Choose New API.
5. Enter an API name (e.g., MyFirstAPI).
6. Leave Endpoint Type as Regional.
7. Click Create API.

Step 2: Create a Resource and Method

A resource represents a logical component of your API, and a method defines the HTTP verb (GET, POST, etc.) for interacting with that resource.

1. In the left navigation pane, under your new API, select Resources.
2. With the root (/) resource selected, click Actions, then Create Resource.
3. Enter a Resource Name (e.g., hello) and Resource Path (hello).
4. Click Create Resource.
5. With the /hello resource selected, click Actions, then Create Method.
6. Select GET from the dropdown, then click the checkmark.
7. For Integration type, choose Mock. This allows you to return a static response without a backend service.
8. Click Save.

Step 3: Configure the Mock Integration Response

1. After saving the GET method, you'll see the Method Execution flow.
2. Click on Integration Response.
3. Expand the default 200 response.
4. Expand Body Mapping Templates.
5. Click Add mapping template.
6. For Content-Type, enter application/json.
7. In the Template text area, enter:

   {
     "message": "Hello from API Gateway!"
   }

8. Click Save.

Step 4: Deploy the API

To make your API callable, you must deploy it to a stage.

1. In the left navigation pane, select your API, then click Actions, and choose Deploy API.
2. For Deployment stage, select [New Stage].
3. Enter a Stage name (e.g., dev).
4. Click Deploy.
5. After deployment, the Stage Editor will display the Invoke URL for your API. Copy this URL. It will look similar to https://xxxxx.execute-api.region.amazonaws.com/dev.

Step 5: Test Your API

You can test your API using a web browser, curl, or the AWS CLI.

Using curl:

Open your terminal and execute the following command, replacing [YOUR_INVOKE_URL] with the URL you copied from the previous step, and appending /hello to target your resource:

curl -X GET [YOUR_INVOKE_URL]/hello

You should receive a JSON response:

{
  "message": "Hello from API Gateway!"
}

Common next steps

Once you have a basic API operational, consider these common next steps:

• Integrate with a Backend: Replace the Mock integration with a real backend service, such as an AWS Lambda function, an HTTP endpoint, or another AWS service.
• Define Request and Response Models: Use JSON Schema to define the structure of your API's requests and responses, improving data validation and client SDK generation. The JSON Schema specification provides detailed information on this.
• Implement Authorization: Secure your API using IAM roles, Amazon Cognito user pools, or custom Lambda authorizers.
• Enable Caching: Configure API Gateway caching to reduce the load on your backend and improve response times.
• Set up Monitoring and Logging: Integrate with Amazon CloudWatch to monitor API performance and troubleshoot issues.
• Automate Deployment: Use infrastructure-as-code tools like AWS CloudFormation or Serverless Application Model (SAM) to define and deploy your APIs programmatically.
• Create API Keys and Usage Plans: For managing client access and throttling, define API keys and assign them to usage plans.
• Explore Different API Types: Experiment with HTTP APIs for lower latency and cost for simple use cases, or WebSocket APIs for real-time communication.

Troubleshooting the first call

Encountering issues during the initial setup is common. Here's a table of typical problems and solutions:

For deeper diagnostics, enable CloudWatch logging for your API Gateway stage. This provides detailed execution logs, including request and response bodies, which can be invaluable for identifying the root cause of issues. Refer to the AWS API Gateway logging documentation for setup instructions.