NAT Gateway vs VPC Endpoints: Which Path Should Your Private AWS Traffic Take?

Private subnets in AWS protect EC2 instances, containers, and databases from direct inbound internet connections. However, these private workloads still require outbound communication for operating system repositories, third-party APIs, and AWS services like Amazon S3. AWS provides distinct, non-interchangeable tools for this connectivity. NAT Gateway enables general outbound access, while S3 Gateway Endpoints offer free route-table-based access. Additionally, S3 Interface Endpoints via AWS PrivateLink provide private S3 access that can extend across networks.