# Invoke REST APIs in API Gateway
<a name="how-to-call-api"></a>

To call a deployed API, clients submit requests to the URL for the API Gateway component service for API execution, known as `execute-api`.

The base URL for REST APIs is in the following format: 

```
https://{{api-id}}.execute-api.{{region}}.amazonaws.com/{{stage}}/
```

where {{api-id}} is the API identifier, {{region}} is the AWS Region, and {{stage}} is the stage name of the API deployment. 

**Important**  
Before you can invoke an API, you must deploy it in API Gateway. For instructions on deploying an API, see [Deploy REST APIs in API Gateway](how-to-deploy-api.md). 

**Topics**
+ [Obtaining an API's invoke URL](#apigateway-how-to-call-rest-api)
+ [Invoking an API](#apigateway-call-api)
+ [Use the API Gateway console to test a REST API method](how-to-test-method.md)
+ [Use a Java SDK generated by API Gateway for a REST API](how-to-call-apigateway-generated-java-sdk.md)
+ [Use an Android SDK generated by API Gateway for a REST API](how-to-generate-sdk-android.md)
+ [Use a JavaScript SDK generated by API Gateway for a REST API](how-to-generate-sdk-javascript.md)
+ [Use a Ruby SDK generated by API Gateway for a REST API](how-to-call-sdk-ruby.md)
+ [Use iOS SDK generated by API Gateway for a REST API in Objective-C or Swift](how-to-generate-sdk-ios.md)

## Obtaining an API's invoke URL
<a name="apigateway-how-to-call-rest-api"></a>

You can use the console, the AWS CLI, or an exported OpenAPI definition to obtain an API's invoke URL.

### Obtaining an API's invoke URL using the console
<a name="apigateway-obtain-url-console"></a>

The following procedure shows how to obtain an API's invoke URL in the REST API console.

**To obtain an API's invoke URL using the REST API console**

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

1. Choose a deployed API.

1. From the main navigation pane, choose **Stage**.

1. Under **Stage details**, choose the copy icon to copy your API's invoke URL.

   This URL is for the root resource of your API.  
![After you create your REST API, the console shows your API's invoke URL.](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/apigateway/latest/developerguide/images/getting-started-rest-invoke-url.png)

1. To obtain an API's invoke URL for another resource in your API, expand the stage under the secondary navigation pane, and then choose a method.

1. Choose the copy icon to copy your API's resource-level invoke URL.  
![The resource-level URL for your REST API is under the secondary navigation pane of the stage.](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/apigateway/latest/developerguide/images/resource-level-invoke-url.png)

#### Obtaining an API's invoke URL using the AWS CLI
<a name="apigateway-obtain-url-cli"></a>

The following procedure shows how to obtain an API's invoke URL using the AWS CLI.

**To obtain an API's invoke URL using the AWS CLI**

1. Use the following command to obtain the `rest-api-id`. This command returns all `rest-api-id` values in your Region. For more information, see [get-rest-apis](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/apigateway/get-rest-apis.html).

   ```
   aws apigateway get-rest-apis
   ```

1. Replace the example `rest-api-id` with your `rest-api-id`, replace the example {{{stage-name}}} with your {{{stage-name}}}, and replace the {{{region}}}, with your Region.

   ```
   https://{{{restapi_id}}}.execute-api.{{{region}}}.amazonaws.com/{{{stage_name}}}/
   ```

##### Obtaining an API's invoke URL using the exported OpenAPI definition file of the API
<a name="apigateway-obtain-url-openapi"></a>

You can also construct the root URL by combining the `host` and `basePath` fields of an exported OpenAPI definition file of the API. For instructions on how to export your API, see [Export a REST API from API Gateway](api-gateway-export-api.md).

## Invoking an API
<a name="apigateway-call-api"></a>

You can call your deployed API using the browser, curl, or other applications, like [Postman](https://www.postman.com/).

Additionally, you can use the API Gateway console to test an API call. Test uses the API Gateway's `TestInvoke` feature, which allows API testing before the API is deployed. For more information, see [Use the API Gateway console to test a REST API method](how-to-test-method.md).

**Note**  
Query string parameter values in an invocation URL cannot contain `%%`.

### Invoking an API using a web browser
<a name="apigateway-call-api-brower"></a>

If your API permits anonymous access, you can use any web browser to invoke any `GET` method. Enter the complete invocation URL in the browser's address bar.

For other methods or any authentication-required calls, you must specify a payload or sign the requests. You can handle these in a script behind an HTML page or in a client application using one of the AWS SDKs.

#### Invoking an API using curl
<a name="apigateway-call-api-curl"></a>

You can use a tool like [curl](https://curl.se/) in your terminal to call your API. The following example curl command invokes the GET method on the `getUsers` resource of the `prod` stage of an API.

------
#### [ Linux or Macintosh ]

```
curl -X GET 'https://{{b123abcde4}}.execute-api.{{us-west-2}}.amazonaws.com/prod/getUsers'
```

------
#### [ Windows ]

```
curl -X GET "https://{{b123abcde4}}.execute-api.{{us-west-2}}.amazonaws.com/prod/getUsers"
```

------