I deployed my REST API on Heroku, and RapidAPI requires an API key for its tests. How can I ensure that only RapidAPI, not direct browser or Postman calls, can access my API?
I dealt with a similar issue recently and found that implementing IP whitelisting based on RapidAPI’s documented IP ranges worked for me. I configured my Heroku application to check incoming requests against a list of allowed IPs before processing any further logic. Another method that I considered was verifying a unique header key that RapidAPI could append to every request, which in turn ensured that requests without it were immediately rejected. Both approaches have their trade-offs, but the key point is to reinforce authentication as early as possible in your request validation process.
I encountered a similar requirement while working on a project where access needed to be scoped to a single integration platform. I used middleware in my Heroku application to validate custom headers uniquely associated with requests coming from RapidAPI. This approach ensures that any request lacking the specific header gets rejected early. Additionally, I implemented logging and rate limiting as a secondary measure to identify any unauthorized access attempts. These additional layers helped maintain your API’s integrity while seamlessly integrating with RapidAPI.
hey, i ended up using a rapidapi gateway token check and an oauth scheme in my heroku app. any request that doesn’t carry the correct token gets drop’d right away. it’s kinda nifty and prevents direct calls.