Which VPC component allows communication between instances in a VPC and the internet?

The internet gateway is a vital component that facilitates communication between instances within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and the internet. It serves as a bridge, enabling external traffic to flow into and out of the VPC, allowing instances that have public IP addresses to communicate with the internet.

When an instance within a VPC needs to connect to or receives requests from the internet, the internet gateway provides the necessary routing and allows for direct access to internet resources. Without an internet gateway, instances would only be able to communicate within the VPC, limiting their accessibility and functionality in a cloud environment.

The other components mentioned, while important for networking within a VPC, serve different functions. For instance, a virtual private gateway is primarily used for connecting on-premise networks to AWS or for establishing a VPN connection. Network ACLs (Access Control Lists) are used to control inbound and outbound traffic at the subnet level, and route tables define where traffic from a subnet is directed. However, none of these components directly facilitate internet connectivity for instances in a VPC as the internet gateway does.