DVA-C02 Development with AWS Services Practice Question
A developer is building a RESTful API using AWS Lambda and Amazon API Gateway. The API needs to support HTTP methods GET, POST, and DELETE. The developer wants to minimize code and operational overhead. Which API Gateway integration type should the developer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
DVA-C02 often tests the difference between proxy and custom integrations, and candidates mistakenly choose custom integration thinking it reduces code, when in fact proxy integration is the one that minimizes code by avoiding mapping templates.
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
✓
Lambda proxy integration
Lambda proxy integration is correct because API Gateway passes the entire HTTP request (method, path, headers, query string, body) directly to the Lambda function as a structured event, and the function returns a formatted response object. This eliminates the need to write mapping templates or configure method/request/response transformations, minimizing both code and operational overhead. It natively supports GET, POST, DELETE, and any other HTTP method without per-method configuration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Lambda proxy integration
Why this is correct
Lambda proxy integration is the recommended and most straightforward method for integrating API Gateway with AWS Lambda functions. It passes the entire incoming request, including headers, query parameters, path parameters, and body, directly to the Lambda function as a single JSON object. This simplifies the Lambda function's code, as it receives the raw request and is responsible for formatting the response in a specific API Gateway-compatible JSON structure, minimizing configuration overhead in API Gateway itself.
- ✗
Lambda custom integration
Why it's wrong here
Lambda custom integration, also known as non-proxy integration, requires extensive configuration of request and response mapping templates within API Gateway. Developers must manually define how incoming request data is transformed into the Lambda event object and how the Lambda function's output is transformed back into an HTTP response. This approach introduces significant complexity and maintenance overhead, making it less desirable than proxy integration for most typical RESTful API scenarios.
- ✗
HTTP integration
Why it's wrong here
HTTP integration is designed to forward API Gateway requests to any publicly accessible HTTP/HTTPS endpoint, such as a web server, an EC2 instance, or another API. It does not directly invoke an AWS Lambda function. While a Lambda function *could* expose an HTTP endpoint, this integration type bypasses the direct Lambda invocation mechanism provided by API Gateway, making it an inefficient and incorrect choice for directly integrating with a Lambda backend for a RESTful API.
- ✗
Mock integration
Why it's wrong here
Mock integration is specifically designed for testing and development purposes, allowing API Gateway to return a predefined response without invoking any backend endpoint. It's useful for frontend developers to proceed with integration testing even when the backend Lambda function is not yet fully implemented or available. However, it does not connect to a live backend service and is therefore entirely unsuitable for a production-ready RESTful API that needs to execute business logic via a Lambda function.
Quick reference
Cloud Service Model Comparison
| Model | You Manage | Provider Manages | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| IaaS | OS, runtime, apps, data | Hardware, hypervisor, networking | EC2, Azure VMs, GCP Compute Engine |
| PaaS | Apps and data | OS, runtime, middleware, hardware | Elastic Beanstalk, Azure App Service |
| SaaS | Data and settings only | Everything else | Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday |
| FaaS / Serverless | Function code only | Infra, scaling, runtime | Lambda, Azure Functions, Cloud Run |
| CaaS | Containers and apps | Kubernetes, OS, hardware | EKS, AKS, GKE |
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Amazon Web Services exam blueprint
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.