Use the API Gateway console to test a REST API method

Use the API Gateway console to test a REST API method.

Prerequisites

• You must specify the settings for the methods you want to test. Follow the instructions in Set up REST API methods in API Gateway.

Test a method with the API Gateway console

Important

Testing methods with the API Gateway console might result in changes to resources that cannot be undone. Testing a method with the API Gateway console is the same as calling the method outside of the API Gateway console. For example, if you use the API Gateway console to call a method that deletes an API's resources, if the method call is successful, the API's resources will be deleted.

Old REST API console

Note

We've redesigned the API Gateway console. The old console experience will no longer be available starting December 2023.

To test a method

1. Sign in to the API Gateway console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/apigateway.

2. Choose a REST API.

3. In the Resources pane, choose the method you want to test.

4. In the Method Execution pane, in the Client box, choose TEST. Type values in any of the displayed boxes (such as Query Strings, Headers, and Request Body). The console includes these values in the method request in default application/json form.

   For additional options you may need to specify, contact the API owner.

5. Choose Test. The following information will be displayed:

   • Request is the resource's path that was called for the method.

   • Status is the response's HTTP status code.

   • Latency is the time between the receipt of the request from the caller and the returned response.

   • Response Body is the HTTP response body.

   • Response Headers are the HTTP response headers.

     Tip

     Depending on the mapping, the HTTP status code, response body, and response headers may be different from those sent from the Lambda function, HTTP proxy, or AWS service proxy.

   • Logs are the simulated Amazon CloudWatch Logs entries that would have been written if this method were called outside of the API Gateway console.

     Note

     Although the CloudWatch Logs entries are simulated, the results of the method call are real.

For an additional tutorial with console images, see Tutorial: Build a REST API with HTTP proxy integration in the tutorials and workshops section.

New REST API console

To test a method

1. Sign in to the API Gateway console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/apigateway.

2. Choose a REST API.

3. In the Resources pane, choose the method you want to test.

4. Choose the Test tab. You might need to choose the right arrow button to show the tab.

   

   Enter values in any of the displayed boxes (such as Query strings, Headers, and Request body). The console includes these values in the method request in default application/json form.

   For additional options you might need to specify, contact the API owner.

5. Choose Test. The following information will be displayed:

   • Request is the resource's path that was called for the method.

   • Status is the response's HTTP status code.

   • Latency is the time between the receipt of the request from the caller and the returned response.

   • Response body is the HTTP response body.

   • Response headers are the HTTP response headers.

     Tip

     Depending on the mapping, the HTTP status code, response body, and response headers might be different from those sent from the Lambda function, HTTP proxy, or AWS service proxy.

   • Log shows the simulated Amazon CloudWatch Logs entries that would have been written if this method were called outside of the API Gateway console.

     Note

     Although the CloudWatch Logs entries are simulated, the results of the method call are real.

In addition to using the API Gateway console, you can use AWS CLI or an AWS SDK for API Gateway to test invoking a method. To do so using AWS CLI, see test-invoke-method.