How Do I Compare AWS API Gateway and API Gateway V2?

Introduction

AWS API Gateway and API Gateway V2 are both services offered by AWS to facilitate the creation, deployment, and management of APIs. These services cater to different API use cases, providing a range of features for developers. This guide will outline the key differences between AWS API Gateway and API Gateway V2 and provide a practical example using a Pulumi program to create an API with API Gateway V2.

AWS API Gateway

AWS API Gateway is a comprehensive service that simplifies the process of creating, publishing, maintaining, monitoring, and securing APIs. It supports both RESTful and HTTP APIs and offers features such as:

• RESTful APIs: Ideal for creating REST APIs that adhere to the REST architectural style.
• API Management: Includes tools for managing APIs, such as throttling, request validation, and API keys.
• Integration with AWS Services: Seamless integration with AWS Lambda, AWS IAM, and other AWS services.
• Custom Authorizers: Allows the use of custom authorizers to manage API access.

AWS API Gateway V2

AWS API Gateway V2, or Amazon API Gateway Version 2, builds upon the original service with support for WebSocket APIs and HTTP APIs. Its key features include:

• HTTP APIs: Designed for low-latency, cost-effective APIs optimized for performance.
• WebSocket APIs: Facilitates real-time, two-way communication between clients and servers.
• Simplified Pricing: Offers a more cost-effective pricing model compared to the original API Gateway.
• Improved Performance: Enhanced for lower latency and higher throughput.

Key Differences

• API Types: API Gateway supports RESTful APIs, while API Gateway V2 supports HTTP and WebSocket APIs.
• Cost: API Gateway V2 generally offers a more cost-effective pricing model.
• Performance: API Gateway V2 is optimized for lower latency and higher throughput.

Pulumi Program to Create an API using API Gateway V2

Below is a Pulumi program written in TypeScript to create an HTTP API using AWS API Gateway V2. This example illustrates how to set up an API, a route, and a deployment.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";
import * as aws from "@pulumi/aws";

// Create an API Gateway V2 HTTP API
const api = new aws.apigatewayv2.Api("exampleApi", {
    protocolType: "HTTP",
    name: "example-api",
    description: "An example HTTP API",
});

// Create a route for the API
const route = new aws.apigatewayv2.Route("exampleRoute", {
    apiId: api.id,
    routeKey: "$default",
    target: pulumi.interpolate`integrations/${api.id}`,
});

// Create a deployment for the API
const deployment = new aws.apigatewayv2.Deployment("exampleDeployment", {
    apiId: api.id,
    description: "Initial deployment",
});

// Export the API endpoint
export const apiEndpoint = api.apiEndpoint;

Explanation

• aws.apigatewayv2.Api: This resource sets up an API Gateway V2 HTTP API with protocolType set to “HTTP”, indicating it’s an HTTP API.
• aws.apigatewayv2.Route: This resource defines a route for the API, with routeKey set to “$default”, meaning it will handle all requests. The target specifies the integration target.
• aws.apigatewayv2.Deployment: This resource creates a deployment, which is necessary to apply API changes.
• api.apiEndpoint: This exports the API endpoint URL for making requests to your API.

Conclusion

AWS API Gateway and API Gateway V2 each offer unique features tailored to different API needs. While the original API Gateway is suitable for RESTful APIs with extensive management capabilities, API Gateway V2 excels in performance and cost-effectiveness for HTTP and WebSocket APIs. By understanding these differences, developers can choose the right service for their specific use case. The provided Pulumi program serves as a starting point for creating and managing APIs using AWS API Gateway V2.