Question: How do I set up API Gateway with my own CloudFront distribution?

I want an edge-optimized API endpoint in Amazon API Gateway, but I need more control over the Amazon CloudFront distribution. How do I create and use my own distribution?Short descriptionIf your API clients are geographically dispersed, consider using an edge-optimized API endpoint in API Gateway. This type of endpoint acts as a Regional endpoint with an AWS managed CloudFront web distribution to improve client connection time.To use the global CloudFront content delivery network and maintain more control over the distribution, use a Regional API with a custom CloudFront web distribution.

ResolutionCreate a Regional API in API Gateway. Then, do the following:Set up a GET method for your API1.    In the API Gateway console, choose the name of your new Regional API.2.    In the Resources pane, choose Actions. Then, choose Create Method. A list appears under the / resource node.3.    Choose GET from the list. Then, choose the check mark icon.4.    In / - GET - Setup, for Integration type, choose Mock. Then, choose Save.Note: A mock integration responds to any request that reaches it, which helps with testing.Deploy your API and identify your API's invoke URL1.    Deploy your API to a stage.2.    At the top of the Stage Editor pane, copy the Invoke URL to your clipboard.API Gateway API Invoke URL examplehttps://restApiId.execute-api.region.amazonaws.com/stageName.Test your API for a 200 OK responseTo confirm that your API returns a 200 OK response, test your API's invoke URL using the API Gateway console, the Postman app, or curl.To test your API for a 200 OK response using curlBased on your operating system, run one of the following commands:Note: Replace https://restApiId.execute-api.region.amazonaws.com/stageName with your API's invoke URL before running either of the following commands.For Linux, run the following command:curl -IX GET https://restApiId.execute-api.region.amazonaws.com/stageNameFor Windows PowerShell, run the following command:curl https://restApiId.execute-api.region.amazonaws.com/stageNameNote: If you get a status code other than a 200 OK response, check the console to confirm the following:Your API is deployed to your stage.Your stage is specified in your invoke URL.Create a CloudFront web distribution1.    In the CloudFront console, choose Create Distribution.2.    On the Select a delivery method for your content page, under Web, choose Get Started.3.    On the Create Distribution page, for Origin Domain Name, paste your API's invoke URL. Then, delete the stage name.Origin domain name examplehttps://1a2bc3d456.execute-api.us-east-1.amazonaws.com4.    For Origin Path, enter your API's stage name with a slash in front of it (/stageName). Or, if you want to enter the stage name yourself when invoking the URL, don't enter an Origin Path.Note: Entering an incorrect stage name for Origin Path when invoking the CloudFront distribution sometimes produces an error. For example, an unauthorized request error that returns the message "Missing Authentication Token" and a 403 Forbidden response code.5.    For Minimum Origin SSL Protocol, it's a best practice to choose TLSv1.2. Don't choose SSLv3. API Gateway doesn't support the SSLv3 protocol.6.    For Origin Protocol Policy, choose HTTPS Only.Note: API Gateway doesn't support unencrypted (HTTP) endpoints. For more information, see Amazon API Gateway FAQs.7.    (Optional) To forward custom headers to your origin, enter one or more custom headers for Origin Custom Headers.Note: There are several custom headers that CloudFront can't forward to your origin.8.    Follow the instructions in the If you're using IAM authentication for your API or custom domain names for your distribution section, if applicable.9.    (Optional) Under Distribution Settings, configure any additional settings that you want to customize.10.    Choose Create Distribution.11.    Wait for your distribution to deploy. This takes 15-20 minutes. When its Status appears as Deployed in the console, the distribution is ready.For more information, see Creating a distribution.Test your CloudFront web distribution1.    In the CloudFront console, copy the Domain Name of your distribution to your clipboard.Non-custom domain name examplea222222bcdefg5.cloudfront.net.2.    Test the domain name for a 200 OK response using either of the commands mentioned previously in the Test your API section. If you get a 500 server error code, then the distribution might not be deployed. If you get no response, the CloudFront DNS record has not yet propagated. In either case, confirm that 15-20 minutes have elapsed since you created your distribution. Then, retry the procedure.Important: If you turned on AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) authentication on a method for a particular API resource, then you must append the resource name to the end of the distribution domain name when invoking your API. The full invoke URL (including the resource name) looks similar to one of the following examples. The output depends on whether you entered an Origin Path when you created the distribution:API Gateway API invoke URL with an origin path examplehttps://distributionDomainName/stageName/resourceNameAPI Gateway API invoke URL without an origin path examplehttps://distributionDomainName/resourceNameFor more information on testing, see How do I activate IAM authentication for API Gateway APIs?Your API now uses the web distribution that you created. Resources are accessible on the API CloudFront URL.If you're using IAM authentication for your API or custom domain names for your CloudFront web distributionBy default, CloudFront doesn't forward incoming Authorization headers to the origin (for this use case, API Gateway). If you're using IAM authentication for your API or custom domain names for your distribution, you must do one of the following:(For IAM authentication) Add the Authorization header to your CloudFront allow list1.    If not completed previously, follow steps 1-7 in the Create a CloudFront web distribution section of this article.2.    On the Create Distribution page, for Cache and origin request settings, choose Use a cache policy and origin request policy. Then, under Cache Policy, choose either an existing cache policy or create a new cache policy that adds the Authorization header to your CloudFront allow list.3.    If you use an existing cache policy, for Cache Based on Selected Request Headers, choose Whitelist. Then, for Whitelist Headers, add Authorization to the list of allowed headers.Important: If you change the Cache Based on Selected Request Headers setting to All, or if you allow the Host header, then your setup won't work. For more information, see Caching content based on request headers.4.    (Optional) To test the setup, do the following:Create the required Signature Version 4 signature for your API Gateway endpoint programmatically. For the host value, enter your API Gateway invoke URL. For the endpoint value, enter your CloudFront web distribution URL.API Gateway invoke URL example<api-id>.execute.<region>.amazon.comCloudFront web distribution URL exampledxxxxx.cloudfront.netNote: If you're using the Postman app, in the Authorization tab, for Type, choose AWS Signature. Then, enter the Access Key and Secret Key. The required headers are generated by Postman using the credentials that you enter.Then, send the API request to the CloudFront distribution using the Authorization header (and all SignedHeaders) generated from the Signature Version 4 process.(For custom domain names or IAM authentication) Set up a Regional Custom domain name in API Gateway to access your API1.    Create a new Regional API in API Gateway or change your edge-optimized API Gateway API to a Regional API.2.    Set up a Regional custom domain name for the API and create an API mapping for your API.Note: Use this custom domain name when you access your API through CloudFront.3.    Create a CloudFront web distribution by following the instructions in the Create a CloudFront web distribution section of this article, with one exception. In step 3, for Origin Domain Name, enter your API Gateway target domain name instead of your API's invoke URL.Note: Find your API Gateway target domain name in the Endpoint configuration of your custom domain details.API Gateway target domain name exampled-xxxx..execute-api.<region>.amazonaws.com4.    On the Create Distribution page, for Cache and origin request settings, choose Use a cache policy and origin request policy. Then, under Cache Policy, choose either an existing cache policy or create a new cache policy that adds the Authorization and Host header to your CloudFront allow list.5.    If you use an existing cache policy, for Cache Based on Selected Request Headers, choose Whitelist. Then, for Whitelist Headers, add Authorization and Host to the list of allowed headers.6.    Under Distribution Settings, for Alternate Domain Name, enter the custom domain name that you created.7.    For SSL Certificate, select Custom SSL Certificate. Then, add the AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) certificate for that domain.After deploying the CloudFront web distribution, configure the DNS Record to map the custom domain to the CloudFront web distribution. Do this by creating either an alias or CNAME record. For more information, see Using custom URLs for files by adding alternate domain names (CNAMEs).9.    (Optional) To test the setup, create a Signature Version 4 signed request for your custom domain name programmatically.Note: The Postman app can be used to test the setup.

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