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Basic Concepts

API

Application Programming Interface - Application Programming Interface. An interface that facilitates one application ‘consuming’ the capabilities or data of another application.

API Management

The set of operations for managing, formatting, deploying, and related operations of APIs in a secure and scalable environment.

API Lifecycle

The process that includes all steps from the creation of an API idea to its deprecation.

API Gateway

The common name for software that provides functions such as security, logging, traffic management, message transformation in front of APIs.
API (Application Programming Interface - Application Programming Interface) is an interface that facilitates one application ‘consuming’ the capabilities or data of another application. By defining stable, simplified entry points to application logic and data, it enables developers to easily access and reuse application logic created by other developers.Today, APIs are widely used as a contract that determines the structure of communication between client and server in general or local network environments, mobile or web-based applications. In the Apinizer context, the word API refers to server-side Web API with this more limited meaning.
API management is the set of operations for managing, formatting, deploying, and related operations of APIs in a secure and scalable environment. The goal of API management is to meet the requirements of API stakeholders in a quality and cost-effective manner.API management needs may vary from organization to organization, but basic functions such as API security, monitoring, and version control are generally common.
Apinizer is an API Management Platform.
All steps of an API from the creation of its idea, determination of its requirements, design and development, testing, deployment and fulfillment of security requirements, support, monitoring of its operation, improvement of its performance, pricing and sale, use, feedback, update, versioning, or deprecation of a version form the API Lifecycle.Organizations can customize how they will operate the steps of the lifecycle within the framework of their own needs.
Apinizer supports the API Lifecycle and provides a platform where API Stakeholders can work collaboratively within their own roles.
API Gateway is the common name for software that solves many tasks such as security, logging, traffic management, message transformation, protocol conversion, message validation, and similar without touching the API code, by making configuration at an external point.It is placed in front of APIs and API message traffic passes through the API Gateway. Thus, all kinds of control, transformation or customization on these messages becomes possible.How API Gateway works:
  1. The request sent by the client is received by the API Proxy on the API Gateway
  2. API Proxy becomes a client to the API and receives the responses returned by the API
  3. API Proxy returns the responses to the client itself
Through configurations made with the API Gateway software, the behavior of the API Proxy is customized, and thus requirements such as security, traffic management, message transformations, service migration, and similar can be managed from a central point.
Apinizer provides an advanced, easy-to-use, horizontally scalable API Gateway.

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API Stakeholders

Everyone who is involved in one or more steps of the API Lifecycle is an API Stakeholder.

API Product Manager

The role that thinks, determines, and manages the features that the API Product should provide, quality requirements, capabilities, which customer needs it can meet, its cost and sales price, and how it will be marketed.

API Requirements Analyst

Identifies and documents API requirements.

API Designer

Designs parameters, headers, message structure, and similar details regarding the messages that the endpoints to be provided by the API will receive or return, and publishes these as an API Specification in a format that API Developers can understand and use.

API Developer

Writes the API code as actual software development work. Creates API Proxies and makes their configuration. Makes configurations for integrations to be performed.

API Test Specialist

Tests API Proxies with criteria such as functional correctness, performance, and security.

API Quality Specialist

Continuously monitors API Proxies or API Products with different criteria such as the level of meeting client needs, correct operation, and performance, identifies necessary improvements, and provides feedback to API Developers.

API Support Specialist

Evaluates and resolves API Consumer complaints, requests, or notifications related to API Products, and provides input to API Developers or API Product Manager.

API Portal Administrator

Manages the API Portal application where API Products are delivered to API Consumers.

API Analytics Specialist

Manages, examines, and reports API logs, and collects metrics such as general performance, error frequency, most problematic or most used APIs, and provides input to API Product Manager or API Developers for necessary improvements and arrangements.

API Security Manager

Performs tasks such as managing client identities, determining how and how much sensitive data will be logged, and making password-required connection definitions.

API Consumer

Acts as a client to API Proxies or purchases and uses API Products.
Apinizer provides the necessary administrative tools and infrastructure for the creation of relevant stakeholders and their ability to work collaboratively with other stakeholders with dynamic role management capabilities.

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Apinizer-Specific Terms

API Proxy

The proxy of an API on the API Gateway. The client actually communicates with the API Proxy.

Policy

Configurable components that define operations applied to messages in API Proxies.

DB-2-API

Feature for creating APIs from database operations. Provides the ability to create APIs in minutes without writing code.

Script-2-API

Feature for creating APIs from JavaScript or Groovy code. Provides the ability to instantly open APIs.

Mock API Creator

Feature for instantly creating Mock APIs without any server or code writing need.
API Proxy is the proxy of an API on the API Gateway. The client actually communicates with the API Proxy. API Proxy becomes a client to the API and receives the responses returned by the API and returns the response to the Client itself.API Proxy provides functions such as security, traffic management, and message transformation without touching the API’s business logic.For detailed information, see the What is API Proxy? page.
Policy is configurable components that define operations applied to messages in API Proxies. Policies provide various functions such as security, validation, transformation, and traffic management.Policies are configured and reused with form-based interfaces without writing code.For detailed information, see the What is Policy? page.
Many applications use APIs developed for database operations that do not require special business logic. Although it is easy to develop this type of API, it is necessary to create a programming environment, have people with developer identities work, deploy the developed APIs to a server, and set up a server for this.Apinizer enables even non-developers to create and deploy a database operation API in minutes with DB-2-API.Supported Operations:
  • Native SQL statements
  • Stored Procedure calls
  • Returning cursor results
  • Batch operations
Advantages of DB-2-API:
  • Creating APIs without writing code
  • No need for separate server installation
  • APIs can be deployed in minutes
  • Shortens API development time for database operations
Some APIs are created to expose an algorithm or to enable a method to be executed by other stakeholders. The algorithm or method may already exist or may need to be newly developed. In both cases, this requires steps such as doing it in a software development environment, packaging the API, and placing it on a server where it will be deployed.Apinizer enables users to instantly open an API by writing (or pasting existing) JavaScript or Groovy code with Script-2-API.Features:
  • JavaScript or Groovy code support
  • Use of request/response messages
  • Ability to use desired parts of request/response messages in the code
  • No need for tasks such as setting up a separate server
  • APIs can be deployed in minutes
Mock API Creator provides the ability to instantly create Mock APIs without any server or code writing need. It is used for starting frontend development before backend development is completed, testing API design, and in integration tests.

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Platform Terms

Environment is the physical or logical environment where API Proxies run. Each environment has its own Gateway instances and configurations. It corresponds to the Kubernetes Namespace concept.For detailed information, see the What is Environment? page.
Project is a logical grouping that enables API Proxies, Policies, or other definitions to be managed on a project basis.Apinizer enables the creation of Projects, and API Proxies, Policies, or other definitions can be managed on a project basis.For detailed information, see the What is Project? page.
Team is the group formed by members working on a project. It enables operations such as adding users to Projects or Role assignment to be done in bulk through Teams.Apinizer allows the creation of Teams, adding Users to Teams with different Roles, assigning Teams to Projects with different roles, or assigning Roles to Teams.
It is the name given to stakeholders who use Apinizer interfaces. From this perspective, all stakeholders except API Consumer are Users. It should not be confused with Clients accessing API Proxies.
It is the name given to permission groups. Apinizer provides certain roles as default values and allows the creation of new roles.
A user needs to have the privilege related to a specific task to be able to do that task.In the Apinizer context, Privileges come pre-defined and are used for creating/updating Roles. Privileges are not directly assigned to Users.
Corresponds to the Namespace concept in the Kubernetes environment. The environment concept in the Apinizer Platform corresponds to the Namespace concept in the Kubernetes environment. Each environment is created as a Namespace in Kubernetes.
The prefix that all API Proxy relative paths in a project will start with. For example, when the project relative path is “account”, the API proxy relative path appears as /account/proxy1.
Each environment has its own access address (URL). API Proxies in the environment can be accessed through this address.

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Term Categories

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API Management Terms

API Proxy

Learn about API Proxy concept

Policy

Learn about Policy concept

Routing and Upstream

Learn about Routing and Upstream concepts

Client Route

Learn about Client Route concept

Upstream Target

Learn about Upstream Target concept

Endpoint

Learn about Endpoint concept

Load Balancing

Load Balancing strategies

Message Processing and Policy Application

Learn about Message Processing and Policy Application concept

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Platform Terms

Environment

Learn about Environment concept

Project

Learn about Project concept

Variable

Learn about Variable concept

Environment Variable

Learn about Environment Variable concept

Connection

Learn about Connection concept

Connector

Learn about Connector concept

API Proxy Group

Learn about API Proxy Group concept

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Component Terms

API Manager

Learn about API Manager component

API Gateway

Learn about API Gateway component

Identity Manager

Learn about Identity Manager component

Analytics Engine

Learn about Analytics Engine component

API Portal

Learn about API Portal component

API Designer

Learn about API Designer component

API Creator

Learn about API Creator component

API Integrator

Learn about API Integrator component

Cache Component

Learn about Cache Component

Monitoring Component

Learn about Monitoring Component

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Term Search and Navigation

You can search for terms in the glossary by category:
  • API Proxy, Policy, Routing, Endpoint
  • Client Route, Upstream Target
  • Load Balancing, Failover, Retry
  • Message Processing, Policy Pipeline
  • Environment, Project, User, Role, Privilege
  • Variable, Environment Variable
  • Connection, Connector
  • API Proxy Group, Team
  • Namespace, Relative Path, Access URL
  • API Manager, API Gateway
  • Identity Manager, Analytics Engine
  • API Portal, API Designer
  • API Creator, API Integrator
  • Cache Component, Monitoring Component
  • Worker Pod, Cache Pod, Integration Pod, Service
  • Authentication, Authorization
  • OAuth2, JWT, mTLS
  • IP Whitelist/Blacklist
  • Rate Limiting, Quota
  • DB-2-API, Script-2-API
  • Mock API Creator
  • Task Flow, Connector

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Alphabetical Term List

  • Access URL - The access address (URL) belonging to each environment
  • API - Application Programming Interface
  • API Gateway - Security and management layer placed in front of APIs
  • API Manager - API management platform
  • API Proxy - The proxy of an API on the API Gateway
  • API Proxy Group - Management of API Proxies in groups
  • API Consumer - Parties using APIs
  • API Lifecycle - The process from API creation to deprecation
  • Connection - Connection definitions to external systems
  • Cache Pod - Distributed cache pods
  • Client Route - The point where requests from clients enter the API Proxy
  • Connector - Components that enable connection to different sources
  • DB-2-API - Feature for creating APIs from database operations
  • Endpoint - A specific URL path of an API
  • Environment - The environment where API Proxies run
  • Environment Variable - Environment-based variables
  • Failover - Mechanism for automatically routing to a healthy backend instance
  • Gateway Engine - The engine running the API Gateway
  • Relative Path - The prefix that all API Proxy relative paths in a project will start with
  • Integration Pod - Pods where API Integrator tasks run
  • Connector - Connection components used in API Integrator
  • User - Stakeholders using Apinizer interfaces
  • Load Balancing - Load balancing strategies
  • Message Processing - Message processing process
  • Mock API Creator - Feature for instantly creating Mock APIs without any server or code writing need
  • mTLS - Mutual TLS, mutual TLS authentication
  • Namespace - Corresponds to the Namespace concept in the Kubernetes environment
  • Environment - The physical or logical environment where API Proxies run
  • Policy - Operations applied to messages in API Proxies
  • Project - Logical grouping of API Proxies
  • Quota - Limits determined for API usage
  • Rate Limiting - Mechanism for limiting API call count
  • Retry - Mechanism for retrying failed requests
  • Role - Permission groups
  • Routing - Routing of requests to backend
  • Script-2-API - Feature for creating APIs from script code
  • Service - Environment Service, environment service
  • Team - The group formed by members working on a project
  • Task Flow - Task flows in API Integrator
  • Upstream Target - The backend API to which requests are routed
  • Variable - Structures that store dynamic values
  • Worker Pod - Pods where API Proxies run
  • Privilege - The permission required for a user to be able to do a specific task

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