Amazon API Gateway Reviews

My use case for Amazon API Gateway involves using it for backend APIs and mostly private API Gateways. We utilize it within the context of a microservices architecture. The front-end technology connects through the API Gateway to backend services running on Lambda, making the API Gateway an endpoint for reaching backend services.

Amazon API Gateway provides easy scalability and fast deployment, making it less time-consuming to spin up services. Its serverless technology allows our applications to scale seamlessly according to demand.

A most valuable feature of Amazon API Gateway is how quickly we can connect to backend services and have APIs accessible from anywhere. This flexibility supports our operations efficiently.

I'd appreciate improvements in the user interface to make it more understandable, especially for new AWS users. Documentation can be confusing at times, so more details on the connection between the API Gateway and backend services would be helpful. Additionally, a local version of the API Gateway would be beneficial for testing purposes without incurring extra costs.

I have been using Amazon API Gateway for almost two and a half years now.

Amazon API Gateway has proven to be very stable, with a stability rating of ten out of ten. The high stability ensures that we do not encounter workflow issues, which is critical for maintaining uninterrupted operations.

Regarding scalability, I would rate Amazon API Gateway at eight out of ten. Although we have not faced challenges, we have not tested scalability on a large scale either. In our typical use cases, scalability aligns with our expectations and requirements.

The support from AWS was adequate when we needed assistance, particularly during the setup of a private API Gateway. There was initial difficulty due to unclear documentation, but the AWS team's help was effective, even though it took some time to get the correct answers.

Neutral

The initial setup was moderately complex; I would rate it a six out of ten. Understanding the service's intricacies and integration with Lambda was the major challenge initially, but it became easier over time.

The deployment process typically involves only one person, which is myself. Maintenance does not require many people due to its serverless nature.

The pricing of Amazon API Gateway is cost-effective unless there is a very high volume of requests. I would rate the pricing as reasonable, giving it a score of five out of ten.

For newcomers to Amazon API Gateway, it's advisable to watch a few AWS videos to grasp how it works. The documentation can be difficult to follow initially, so supplementing it with external learning resources can provide a better understanding.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

We use the solution as a gateway between the front-end and the back-end. It helps us setup proper authentication and provides a neat and easily configurable view of our application's public interface.

We decided to connect our Lambda functions to the solution. Its authentication feature helps us secure the APIs.

The solution has the best scalability. We can add as many endpoints as required. Also, we can authenticate using API keys and Lambda authorizers. In addition, there are three types of gateways, HTTP, Rest API, and Web Sockets. Out of them, Rest API provides robust and more secure authentication features whereas Web Sockets enable two-way communication which is helpful to implement a chat application.

The solution's configuration for API gateways using SAM and CloudFormation templates could be more accessible.

We have been using the solution for more than a year.

It is a stable solution. However, sometimes it takes a minute to respond after the first deployment. But, once it starts, it never fails.

It is a scalable solution. We have five users in our organization.

The solution's initial setup process is easy.

I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

I advise others to use Lambda authorizer instead of API key-based authorization for more secure keys. It will help them use different tokens per customer.

So we are using Amazon API Gateway in our application. It allows us to expose our APIs and provides tools for managing them.

As for improvements, I haven't fully explored Amazon API Gateway yet, but I believe better governance and monitoring features would be beneficial.

We are also interested in telemetry, analytics, and other features that are important for our API management. I would appreciate more comprehensive telemetry information, diagnostics, and improved monitoring capabilities for the services and endpoints.

We have been using Amazon API Gateway for more than a year or two. We are using the latest version.

It is a stable solution. I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. It has been working quite well so far. 

There are over thousand users in our organization using this solution. So, I would say it is a scalable solution. 

We currently have most of the features we need. However, we are evaluating different commercial options and considering reaching out to MuleSoft and Kong for further discussions.

The initial setup is straightforward. It's not overly complex. Setting up Amazon API Gateway is fairly easy, and most of our requirements are well supported by the platform.

We have an in-house team to maintain the solution. 

I have worked with various API gateways. For example, I have experience with the Azure API gateway and also the AWS API gateway. However, we are currently planning to migrate to an enterprise-level solution, so we are evaluating MuleSoft's Telecom API.

The simple API setup is good enough for us, but we are looking for more advanced features in enterprise-level API management. We are planning to transition to a different API gateway.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

I use API Gateway to trigger Lambda functions, manage S3 objects, and direct traffic for my web applications. Everything I use is integrated with the API Gateway.

API Gateway has simplified integrating different AWS services for deploying applications, providing a streamlined approach.

The Cognito authorization integration is very useful, along with the easy multi-region integration and connectivity with various AWS services like SQS, SNS, and Lambda functions.

API Gateway could be more user-friendly, especially in defining routes for new users. A friend of mine had difficulty with understanding where the API Gateway stages were and whether they were deployed. An interface more friendly for new users would be helpful.

I have been using AWS services for a long time, possibly ten years.

I do not remember any issues or problems with the stability.

I did not use a different solution before API Gateway. Implementing an API outside AWS is more challenging, so API Gateway has made things much easier for me.

It is a really cheap product, but if used incorrectly, it can become expensive. Balancing your charges is crucial to control the costs.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

I use it to expose API. So, I primarily use it for publishing our APIs and implementing rate limiting.

We mainly use it within our internal services.

It eliminates the need for us to handle rate limiting ourselves.

It completely met our expectations. We have no issues with it.

Moreover,  integrating API Gateway with other AWS services was good. It worked out of the box, so it worked perfectly.

We heavily utilize AWS Cognito user pools and application authorization responses for authentication and authorization.

A lower price would definitely be an improvement. 

I would like to see more AI-based capabilities in future releases. 

I have been using it for more than three years. 

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. We have thousands of end users accessing our solution built on API Gateway. Internally, around 100 people are involved in development.

We use it daily. 

The customer service and support are great.

Positive

I would rate my experience with the initial setup an eight out of ten, with ten being easy.

The deployment took a few minutes. 

The deployment was done in-house. One DevOps engineer is enough for the process. 

We don't need to maintain the solution. It just works. It does not require any maintenance. 

I would rate the pricing a five out of ten, with ten being expensive. 

We evaluated Microsoft Azure. We did a comparison. We decided to use all services from Amazon, like database deployment, etcetera. It was logical to continue using Amazon API Gateway because it fits better.

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

We are integrating the Amazon API Gateway for one of our projects in phase four. We also use our built-in agent assist system to connect the customer to the backend. It handles and processes API calls for the application's responses.

Amazon API Gateway facilitates our serverless architecture, particularly with Lambda, by allowing us to perform various tasks. For instance, Lambda functions authorize API calls, execute multiple workloads, and integrate with other services like Azure and Kubernetes. Additionally, we leverage Lambda functions behind the Amazon API Gateway to query databases, process data, and interact with different systems.

The tool's most valuable aspect is its scalability. It empowers us to expose endpoints internally or externally, adapt to various requirements such as rate limiting, and ensure security measures for API utilization.

The tool's UI requires time to understand. 

I have been using the product for eight to nine years. 

The tool is stable. I've deployed it for a client with millions of users without issues.

The solution's scalability has improved the performance and reliability of our API. Being a fully managed service, it offers auto-scalability and management by AWS. Amazon API Gateway is scalable. My company has more than 1000 users. 

Whenever we require support from Amazon, they respond promptly.

The tool's deployment is straightforward. It sometimes takes a little more time to understand the UI, but it's pretty easy to use once you grasp it properly. We rely on automation to set it up. 

We did not use a consultant or an integrator. We handled all the work in-house, including authenticating and setting up the architecture. 

I think it's one of the best API management solutions I've used. I've previously worked with other API management tools but prefer the Amazon API Gateway. I rate it a ten out of ten. 

I've primarily used the solution to call Lambda functions and embrace new features that they introduce. My role doesn't require me to explore the full range of API Gateway features, but rather simpler ones like repair gateway functions as and when required. Additionally, in relation to AWS Step Functions, there are key distinctions between instant and long-life step functions that should be highlighted. It isn’t very transparent and useful for me. Instant step functions are suitable for tasks that can be completed within around ten minutes, whereas long-lived ones can endure for extended periods by saving their states between steps.

API Gateway offers a multitude of configuration parameters that enable versatile request filtering and protection against potential attacks. It's possible to customize settings based on the specific needs of the application. Additionally, API Gateway supports integration with various technologies.

Covering all the functions is difficult due to the extensive range, but it excels in simplifying the process of building endpoints swiftly.

When working with XML payloads, there can be issues due to the lack of a seamless connection between API Gateway and Lambda functions. This has led me to devise shortcuts that aren't entirely straightforward but serve my needs.

It's important to consider the type of gateway endpoint carefully. There appear to be two distinct types. It's crucial to make an informed selection based on your project's requirements. When utilizing API Gateway, the choices one makes regarding endpoint types and properties are pivotal. After initially choosing an endpoint type, it is difficult to switch to a different type later on.

I have been using Amazon API Gateway for five years. 

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. However, one interesting point is that Amazon claims to have a step functions engine that can be executed not only in the cloud but also on your personal laptop or on-premises environments. This usage is intended for testing and development rather than production purposes. Although I haven't personally utilized it, I'm interested in this feature which can expand the market for Amazon's solution and offers an interesting avenue for evaluation.

It is highly scalable. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten. 

API Gateway's technical support is good. Many common cases are already covered through guides and resources. I haven't personally encountered an issue requiring assistance, I am aware that they are responsive when asked for support.

The initial setup is straightforward. It is a service that Amazon provides. There are three types of configurations; Web UI, Command Line Control, and Plug-in. The command line control allows you to set and configure a gateway. The plugin allows you to fine-tune API Gateway settings and manage various endpoints directly.

API Gateway is an Amazon service that doesn't require deployment on the local workstation. Using WebUI, you configure settings, click "deploy," and the changes are stored on Amazon's storage, taking only a few seconds for the changes to take effect. Unlike traditional deployment, you're not creating binary files. Instead, you're adjusting configuration settings.

There is no team needed for deployment, however, a software architect is needed for the configuration.

I would recommend the solution to others. You should consider using API Gateway when working with other Amazon cloud components like Amazon RD, Amazon storage, or AWS Lambda for serverless computing. It has its own value separately but API Gateway is interconnected with the broader Amazon service ecosystem. I would overall rate it an eight out of ten. 

We primarily utilize Amazon API Gateway to expose our APIs externally and enhance security by implementing components such as input validation, filtering, and ensuring secure exposure through the gateway.

In our microservices architecture, we utilize Amazon API Gateway. However, since API Gateway doesn't directly support microservice architecture, we require a micro gateway infrastructure. This is why we're exploring alternative API management platforms.

Integrating API Gateway with other AWS services is seamless, especially with cloud-native services like Lambda. It's straightforward to expose APIs built with microservices using Lambda through API Gateway. Additionally, hosting other AWS services as endpoints within API Gateway is convenient.

The performance and scalability of our applications have been impacted by the API database. Managing API scalability is simplified by using API Gateway as a reverse proxy, which centralizes configuration management without requiring developers to modify code frequently. However, for scalability, we primarily rely on AWS's load balancing and autoscaling features rather than API Gateway. Nonetheless, the inherent scalability and manageability of API Gateway as a managed service are beneficial, alleviating concerns about its availability.

One of the most valuable aspects of API Gateway is its native integration with AWS services. This makes it simple to integrate with other services and automate processes within a single script, following a DevOps approach.

We have been utilizing the throttling feature for managing API traffic. With numerous legacy APIs in our system, we've witnessed a significant surge in API requests over time, leading to performance issues due to the lack of throttling. To address this, we require an easier way to adjust throttling settings dynamically as needed.

The authorization and access control features effectively address our security requirements. In terms of API authorization, we rely on OpenID Connect (OIDC), which is not native to AWS but serves our purposes well. User authorization is managed separately for each product platform, with built-in authorization mechanisms tailored to individual products.

API Gateway lacks some usability features that would make it a standard platform for development. For instance, it doesn't include a built-in developer portal, requiring custom development for such functionality. This customization can be extensive and akin to building an entire API management platform from scratch.

The API Gateway lacks the capability to directly facilitate API strategy development or user onboarding workflows. For instance, it doesn't offer out-of-the-box features like developer portals or publisher portals, which are essential for streamlining user onboarding and interaction. These portals play a crucial role in enhancing user adoption by providing a seamless experience for developers and users alike. Currently, API Gateway primarily serves as a technical gateway without built-in support for user engagement functionalities.

I have been working with it for five years.

We serve over a hundred end users across various product areas since our company hosts multiple products. Consequently, we offer distinct API products tailored to each product domain.

We benefit from enterprise support, ensuring prompt responses from the technical support team. I would rate it nine out of ten.

Positive

The initial setup of API Gateway can be somewhat complex, especially if you're unfamiliar with how it operates within AWS. Configuring access control and other aspects like DNS settings can be tricky without prior knowledge of API Gateway and AWS services. Therefore, there's a learning curve associated with setting up API Gateway, which may entail some upfront learning costs.

Deployment time for API Gateway is notably swift. When initiating a new creation within API Gateway, the integration with the DevOps pipeline, especially if all components reside within AWS, ensures a seamless and rapid deployment process. It swiftly establishes the API, sets up the necessary infrastructure, configures the API Gateway, and identifies the requisite DNS for the Gateway endpoints.

I believe the return on investment for API Gateway is satisfactory.

The pricing model for API Gateway is advantageous due to its serverless nature, as it depends on traffic volume. Continuous traffic incurs reasonable costs, as the pricing is based on usage. This flexibility in pricing is appreciated, as it reflects the efficiency of the service provided.

I would recommend API Gateway to those who are uncertain about their API management vision and are already on the AWS platform. It presents an excellent opportunity to start with API management without committing to a specific strategy immediately. Overall, I would rate it six out of ten.