# What is AWS AppSync?
<a name="what-is-appsync"></a>

AWS AppSync enables developers to connect their applications and services to data and events with secure, serverless and high-performing GraphQL and Pub/Sub APIs. You can do the following with AWS AppSync:
+ Access data from one or more data sources from a single GraphQL API endpoint.
+ Combine multiple source GraphQL APIs into a single, merged GraphQL API.
+ Publish real-time data updates to your applications.
+ Leverage built-in security, monitoring, logging, and tracing, with optional caching for low latency.
+ Only pay for API requests and any real-time messages that are delivered.

**Important**  
As of Mar 13, 2025, you can build a real-time PubSub API powered by WebSockets using AWS AppSync Events. For more information, see [Publish events via WebSocket](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/appsync/latest/eventapi/publish-websocket.html) in the *AWS AppSync Events Developer Guide*.

**Topics**
+ [

## AWS AppSync features
](#appsync-feature-overview)
+ [

## Are you a first-time AWS AppSync user?
](#first-time-user)
+ [

## Related services
](#related-services)
+ [

## Pricing for AWS AppSync
](#pricing-for-appsync)

## AWS AppSync features
<a name="appsync-feature-overview"></a>
+ Simplified data access and querying, powered by GraphQL
+ Serverless WebSockets for GraphQL subscriptions and pub/sub channels
+ Server-side caching to make data available in high speed in-memory caches for low latency
+ JavaScript and TypeScript support to write business logic
+ Enterprise security with Private APIs to restrict API access and integration with AWS WAF
+ Built in authorization controls, with support for API keys, IAM, Amazon Cognito, OpenID Connect providers, and Lambda authorization for custom logic.
+ Merged APIs to support federated use cases

For more details about each of these capabilities, see [AWS AppSync features](https://aws.amazon.com/appsync/product-details). 

## Are you a first-time AWS AppSync user?
<a name="first-time-user"></a>

We recommend that first-time AWS AppSync users begin by reading the following sections:
+ If you're unfamiliar with GraphQL, see the [Getting started: Creating your first GraphQL API in AWS AppSync](quickstart.md).
+ If you're building applications that consume GraphQL APIs, see [Building a client application using Amplify client](building-a-client-app.md) and [Using subscriptions for real-time data applications in AWS AppSync](aws-appsync-real-time-data.md).
+ If you're looking for GraphQL resolver information, see the following:

  JavaScript/TypeScript
  + [Resolver tutorials (JavaScript)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/appsync/latest/devguide/tutorials-js.html)
  + [Resolver reference (JavaScript)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/appsync/latest/devguide/resolver-reference-js-version.html)

  VTL
  + [Resolver tutorials (VTL)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/appsync/latest/devguide/tutorials.html)
  + [AWS AppSync resolver mapping template reference (VTL)](resolver-mapping-template-reference.md)
+ If you're looking for AWS AppSync example projects, updates, and more, see the [AppSync blog](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/mobile/category/mobile-services/aws-appsync/).

## Related services
<a name="related-services"></a>

If you're building a web or mobile app from the ground up, consider using [AWS Amplify](https://aws.amazon.com/amplify/). Amplify leverages AWS AppSync and other AWS services to help you build more robust, powerful web and mobile apps with less work.

## Pricing for AWS AppSync
<a name="pricing-for-appsync"></a>

AWS AppSync is priced based on millions of requests and updates. Caching costs an additional fee. For more information, see [AWS AppSync pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/appsync/pricing/).

 The following lists the exceptions to general AWS AppSync pricing:
+ Requests are not charged for authorization and authentication failures.
+ Calls to methods that require API keys are not charged when API keys are missing or invalid.