- A
Enable API Gateway caching and set a TTL.
API Gateway caching stores responses for a specified TTL. Repeated requests for the same resource and parameters are served from the cache, reducing backend load and improving response times.
- B
Use CloudFront with the API Gateway as an origin.
Why wrong: CloudFront can cache responses, but it adds another layer of complexity and cost. API Gateway caching is simpler for a single API, though CloudFront could also work. However, the question asks for API Gateway features.
- C
Enable throttling on the API Gateway usage plan.
Why wrong: Throttling limits request rates to protect the backend but does not cache data. It rejects excess requests, which is not the same as improving response times for repeated requests.
- D
Use a DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) cluster for the backend database.
Why wrong: DAX caches DynamoDB responses, but it does not directly reduce the load on API Gateway or Lambda. The caching should occur at the API layer.
DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
This DVA-C02 practice question tests your understanding of development with aws services. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A developer is building a RESTful API using Amazon API Gateway. The API experiences high traffic spikes, and many requests are for the same data (e.g., a product catalog). The developer wants to reduce the load on the backend Lambda functions and improve response times for repeated requests. Which feature should the developer enable?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable API Gateway caching and set a TTL.
API Gateway caching stores responses from backend Lambda functions for a configurable time-to-live (TTL). When a request for the same data (e.g., a product catalog) arrives within the TTL period, API Gateway serves the cached response directly, reducing the number of invocations to the Lambda function and improving response latency. This directly addresses the need to reduce load on the backend and improve response times for repeated requests.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Enable API Gateway caching and set a TTL.
Why this is correct
API Gateway caching stores responses for a specified TTL. Repeated requests for the same resource and parameters are served from the cache, reducing backend load and improving response times.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use CloudFront with the API Gateway as an origin.
Why it's wrong here
CloudFront can cache responses, but it adds another layer of complexity and cost. API Gateway caching is simpler for a single API, though CloudFront could also work. However, the question asks for API Gateway features.
- ✗
Enable throttling on the API Gateway usage plan.
Why it's wrong here
Throttling limits request rates to protect the backend but does not cache data. It rejects excess requests, which is not the same as improving response times for repeated requests.
- ✗
Use a DynamoDB Accelerator (DAX) cluster for the backend database.
Why it's wrong here
DAX caches DynamoDB responses, but it does not directly reduce the load on API Gateway or Lambda. The caching should occur at the API layer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse API Gateway caching with CloudFront caching, thinking that CloudFront alone reduces backend load, but CloudFront caches at the edge and still forwards cache misses to API Gateway, which then invokes Lambda; only API Gateway caching directly reduces Lambda invocations for repeated requests.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
API Gateway caching works by storing the entire response payload, headers, and status code for a given cache key (typically the request path, query string parameters, and headers). The TTL can be set from 0 to 3600 seconds, and the cache size ranges from 0.5 GB to 237 GB. A subtle behavior is that caching is per-stage and per-method, and enabling caching on a method automatically invalidates the cache when the method's integration endpoint is updated, but manual cache invalidation is also possible via the `Cache-Control: max-age=0` header or the AWS Management Console.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this DVA-C02 question test?
Development with AWS Services — This question tests Development with AWS Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable API Gateway caching and set a TTL. — API Gateway caching stores responses from backend Lambda functions for a configurable time-to-live (TTL). When a request for the same data (e.g., a product catalog) arrives within the TTL period, API Gateway serves the cached response directly, reducing the number of invocations to the Lambda function and improving response latency. This directly addresses the need to reduce load on the backend and improve response times for repeated requests.
What should I do if I get this DVA-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This DVA-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the DVA-C02 exam.
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