AWS Custom Authorizers with Netlify Identity for Lambda Functions

When migrating serverless applications from Netlify to AWS, maintaining secure user authentication can feel like a major roadblock. AWS Lambda does not natively parse Netlify Identity tokens out of the box, meaning you need to bridge the gap yourself. This text-based course guides you step-by-step through the process of writing a custom AWS API Gateway authorizer to validate external identity tokens and protect your serverless endpoints. You will transition from understanding basic serverless security concepts to deploying a fully functional, custom authorizer that secures your GraphQL services and REST endpoints. Along the way, you will learn how to handle JSON Web Tokens (JWTs), manage environment variables securely, and optimize authorizer performance. What you'll learn: - Understand the core architecture of AWS API Gateway custom authorizers and token validation flow - Configure Netlify Identity to issue secure JSON Web Tokens for your users - Write a custom Lambda authorizer to decode, verify, and validate external JWTs - Implement secure token caching to improve API performance and reduce latency - Secure GraphQL endpoints hosted on AWS Lambda from unauthorized access - Debug and test your custom authorizer code using modern serverless testing practices We begin with the essential security concepts and token anatomy before diving into the step-by-step implementation of the authorizer code. You will then learn how to configure API Gateway to intercept incoming requests and apply your custom validation logic. This course is designed for backend developers, serverless engineers, and web developers who are familiar with basic JavaScript or Node.js and want to learn how to secure AWS resources using external identity providers. No advanced AWS security experience is required. Start reading today to master custom authentication and secure your serverless APIs with confidence.