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Version: 1.1-beta

API Gateway

What is an API Gateway?โ€‹

An API Gateway is a server that acts as a single entry point between the internal services of a system and external clients. The API Gateway handles routing for all API calls and performs protocol translation. It is responsible for receiving all external requests and routing them to the appropriate microservices while performing tasks such as authentication, load balancing, caching, rate limiting, logging, and monitoring.

Why does APIPark need an API Gateway?โ€‹

APIPark needs an API Gateway to provide a range of essential functions and services to ensure the security, performance, and ease of use of the APIs. The following are the primary reasons why APIPark needs an API Gateway:

Unified Entry Point:

  • The API Gateway serves as a single entry point, simplifying client interactions with multiple microservices and reducing complexity.

Security:

  • The API Gateway can implement authentication, authorization, and other security measures to ensure that only authorized requests can access the APIs.

Load Balancing:

  • The API Gateway can distribute requests across different microservice instances, balance load, and ensure high availability and performance of the system.

Protocol Conversion:

  • The API Gateway can convert external requests into the protocol formats required by the internal system, such as from HTTP to gRPC or other protocols.

Traffic Management:

  • The API Gateway can implement rate limiting and circuit breaker strategies to protect backend services from overload and anomalous traffic surges.

Monitoring and Analytics:

  • The API Gateway can record detailed logs of all requests and responses and provide monitoring and analytics features to help the operations team understand the system's health and performance.

Caching:

  • The API Gateway can cache frequently accessed API responses, reducing the burden on backend services and improving response speed.

How APIPark and the API Gateway Work Togetherโ€‹

The integration of APIPark and the API Gateway provides comprehensive API management and optimization, ensuring the efficiency, security, and reliability of API services. The following are the main ways in which they work together:

  1. Service Publication and Management:

    • The platform allows service providers to create, configure, and publish APIs, while the API Gateway is responsible for receiving these published API requests and routing them to the appropriate backend services.
    • On the platform, users can manage the lifecycle of APIs, including version management and release, while the API Gateway manages the execution of these versions.

  2. Authentication and Authorization:

    • The platform provides configuration for user and application authentication and authorization, which the API Gateway executes on each API call to ensure that only authorized users and applications can access the APIs.
    • For example, authentication methods like OAuth2 and API keys configured on the platform are enforced at the API Gateway.

  3. Traffic Control and Rate Limiting:

    • The platform offers configuration for API traffic control strategies, such as rate limiting and circuit breaker rules, which the API Gateway implements during runtime to ensure backend service stability.
    • This ensures the system can maintain robust operation even under high traffic or unusual traffic conditions.

  4. Monitoring and Logging:

    • The platform provides monitoring and logging management functions, while the API Gateway collects log data of all API requests and responses and sends it to the platform for analysis and presentation.
    • Monitoring charts and reports on the platform can display key data such as API usage, performance metrics, and error rates.

  5. Caching and Performance Optimization:

    • Caching strategies configured on the platform are executed by the API Gateway, which caches frequently accessed API responses to reduce the burden on backend services and improve response speed.
    • The API Gateway can determine which API responses to cache and the cache duration based on the configured caching strategy.

  6. Protocol Conversion and Routing:

    • The platform allows users to configure API protocols and routing rules, which the API Gateway implements during runtime to convert protocols and route requests properly to backend services.
    • For example, HTTP-to-gRPC conversion rules configured on the platform are executed at the API Gateway.

Examples of Usageโ€‹

Service Publication:

  • Service providers create and publish APIs on APIPark, configuring the API path, method, and parameters. The API Gateway applies these configurations to actual API calls to ensure requests are correctly routed to backend services.

Authentication:

  • Developers configure OAuth2 authentication on APIPark, and the API Gateway executes OAuth2 authentication on every API call to ensure only authorized users can access the APIs.

Rate Limiting Strategy:

  • A rate-limiting strategy configured on the platform for maximum requests per minute ensures that the API Gateway limits request frequency during runtime to protect backend services.

Monitoring Data:

  • The API Gateway logs all API requests and responses, sending these log data to APIPark, which presents detailed call statistics and performance metrics.

The API Gateway is an indispensable component of APIPark, serving as the unified entry point for all API requests and handling tasks like routing, authentication, traffic control, monitoring, and logging. The platform provides API management and configuration functions, and the API Gateway executes these configurations during runtime, ensuring API service security, performance, and availability. Through the seamless interaction between APIPark and the API Gateway, users can efficiently manage and utilize APIs, enhancing the flexibility and reliability of the overall system.