api-gateway
Build, manage, and operate APIs with Amazon API Gateway (REST, HTTP, and WebSocket). Triggers on phrases like: API Gateway, REST API, HTTP API, WebSocket API, custom domain, Lambda authorizer, usage plan, throttling, CORS, VPC link, private API. Also covers troubleshooting API Gateway errors (4xx, 5xx, timeout, CORS failures) and IaC templates containing API Gateway resources. For general REST API design unrelated to AWS, do not trigger.
Profile →npx skills add awslabs/agent-plugins --skill api-gateway --agent claude-code
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for codex, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
What it does
Guides how to build, manage, govern, and operate APIs using Amazon API Gateway across REST (v1), HTTP (v2), and WebSocket APIs, including design decisions, deployment patterns, and observability considerations. It specifically covers troubleshooting API Gateway errors (4xx, 5xx, timeout, CORS failures) and IaC templates containing API Gateway resources. It instructs on when to trigger for AWS-based REST, HTTP, or WebSocket APIs and when not to trigger for general REST API design unrelated to AWS.
How it works
- Provides a quick decision framework to choose between REST API, HTTP API, and WebSocket API based on governance, features, and latency trade-offs.
- Recommends steps to design an API: determine API type, endpoint type, topology, and authentication using referenced materials.
- Guides implementation with IaC: consults SAM/CloudFormation references to produce complete, working templates for REST/HTTP/WebSocket resources.
- Outlines performance and scaling considerations: throttling, caching, edge caching, and scaling behavior.
- Establishes observability practices: enable access and execution logging where supported, and use observability references for metrics and tracing.
- Recommends deployment patterns: canary, blue/green, and routing rules using custom domains.
- Includes troubleshooting quick reference for common API Gateway errors with concrete quick fixes.
When to use it
Use when designing or operating APIs with Amazon API Gateway (REST, HTTP, WebSocket), especially when decisions involve API type, deployment strategies, security, integrations, and observability. Also applicable when addressing troubleshooting of typical gateway errors and when constructing IaC templates for API Gateway resources.
What it can touch
- Tools: claude-code
- References and templates: SAM/CloudFormation templates, IaC patterns, and service integration references as cited in the guidance.
Caveats
- Focuses on AWS API Gateway features and configurations; does not apply to general REST API design unrelated to AWS.
- Execution logging availability varies by API type (HTTP API does not support execution logging).
- Requires consulting referenced materials for complete, working IaC YAML and deployment patterns.
# Amazon API Gateway Development Expert guidance for building, managing, governing, and operating APIs with Amazon API Gateway. Covers REST APIs (v1), HTTP APIs (v2), and WebSocket APIs. ## How to Use This Skill When answering API Gateway questions: 1. Read the relevant reference file(s) before responding, do not rely solely on this summary 2. For tasks spanning multiple concerns (e.g., "private API with mTLS and custom domain"), read all relevant references 3. When the user needs IaC templates, consult `references/sam-cloudformation.md` or `references/sam-service-integrations.md` and provide complete, working SAM/CloudFormation YAML 4. Always mention relevant pitfalls and limits that affect the user's design ## Quick Decision: Which API Type? Choose the right API type first. This decision affects every downstream choice. **REST API** is the full-featured API management platform for enterprises. It provides the governance, security, monetization, and operational controls that organizations need to build, publish, and manage APIs at scale, including usage plans with per-consumer throttling and quotas, API keys, request validation, WAF integration, resource policies, caching, canary
- How to Use This Skill
- Quick Decision: Which API Type?
- Instructions
- Step 1: Design the API
- Step 2: Implement the API
- Step 3: Configure Performance and Scaling
- Step 4: Set Up Observability
- Step 5: Deploy
- Step 6: Apply Governance
- Response Format
- Troubleshooting Quick Reference
- Critical Pitfalls
- IaC Framework Selection
- Error Scenarios
What does the api-gateway skill do?
Build, manage, and operate APIs with Amazon API Gateway (REST, HTTP, and WebSocket). Triggers on phrases like: API Gateway, REST API, HTTP API, WebSocket API, custom domain, Lambda authorizer, usage plan, throttling, CORS, VPC link, private API. Also covers troubleshooting API Gateway errors (4xx, 5xx, timeout, CORS failures) and IaC templates containing API Gateway resources. For general REST API design unrelated to AWS, do not trigger.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add awslabs/agent-plugins --skill api-gateway --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From awslabs/agent-plugins, a repository with 850 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.