API Gateway REST API versus ALB WebSocket

11 Dec 2024

Learn how API Gateway REST API differs from ALB WebSocket.

API Gateway REST API ALB WebSocket
Type

REST API

Websocket

HTTPS/TLS

Backends

✅ Lambda
✅ Public endpoint
✅ Private endpoint
✅ AWS Service APIs

❌ Lambda
❌ Public endpoint
✅ Private endpoint
❌ AWS Service APIs

Costs

💰💰

💰💰

Maturity

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Authentication

✅ IAM
✅ API Key
✅ OpenID Connect
✅ SAML
✅ Social
✅ Custom

❌ IAM
❌ API Key
✅ OpenID Connect
✅ SAML
✅ Social
❌ Custom

Tenant-based Throttling

Request Validation

Req./Res. Transformation

Endpoints

✅ Public
✅ Private

✅ Public
✅ Private

WAF