What is an API Gateway? Why Do They Matter?

An API Gateway is a kind of API management tool. It’s typically between a client and a collection of backend services. It accepts all application programming interface (API) calls as a reverse proxy. In addition, it also aggregates the many services required to fulfill the calls. Once that’s done, it then returns the appropriate outcome.

When you think about most APIs used by organizations, these are deployed through an API gateway. Common tasks used across a system of API services often go through these gateways. For instance, user authentication, as well as rate-limiting, are among those services. Statistics is also another service.

Why Do We Use an API Gateway?

An API service receives a remote request and provides a response. That’s the simplest explanation for how things work. However, there are plenty of issues and problems that pop up when you host large-scale APIs.

• For instance, there’s the issue of overuse and abuse. You want your APIs protected from all that, so you use an authentication service. Rate limiting also comes into the picture.
• You want to fully understand how people use your APIs and interact with them. To make that happen, you’ll use monitoring tools as well as for analytics.
• If you have taken steps to monetize APIs, you’ll need to link it with a billing app or system.
• Do you have a microservices architecture? Then that means a single request could mean a ton of calls to dozens of distinct applications. Having an API gateway resolves that issue nicely.
• You’ll add more and more API services in the future. To make it easier for your clients to find all your services, though, they must all be in one place. The API gateway is crucial in ensuring that.

With an API gateway, you can decouple the interface from your backend implementation. If you send a request, the gateway can break that request into multiple ones, then will route them to the correct places. That will then be followed by a proper response. The API gateway also keeps track of everything.

Why Does It Matter in API Management?

The API Gateway is part of the API management system. It intercepts all the incoming requests. Then it sends all that through the API management system, which handles all the different tasks and functions related to the requests. Depending on the task, the API gateway performs a variety of functions, varying from authentication and routing to rate limiting and billing to monitoring, alerts, security, and more.

How to Improve API Management?

If you want to start learning how to manage your APIs better, then look for software. There are API management and governance solutions that you can use to improve your team’s efficiency and productivity levels. If you want to see your performance improve if you want to help your organization achieve optimum levels of efficiency at work, then start looking into API management solutions. Consider digital products and check out software that’s right for your needs. Once that’s in place, you’ll have a much better and easier time managing your APIs.