APIväravaid

APIväravaid, or API gateways, are a server infrastructure that acts as an entry point for client requests to various backend services. Instead of clients directly interacting with multiple microservices, they send requests to the API gateway. The gateway then routes these requests to the appropriate backend service, aggregates responses if necessary, and returns the final result to the client. This abstraction simplifies client-side development and decouples clients from the underlying service architecture.

API gateways provide a centralized point for managing cross-cutting concerns such as authentication, authorization, rate limiting, logging, and request/response transformation. This means that developers don't need to implement these functionalities in every individual service, leading to more efficient development and a more consistent security posture. They can also be used to enforce policies, monitor traffic, and optimize performance by implementing caching or load balancing.

Different types of API gateways exist, including managed cloud services offered by major cloud providers and self-hosted open-source solutions. The choice depends on factors like scalability needs, existing infrastructure, and team expertise. Implementing an API gateway is a common practice in modern microservice architectures to improve manageability, security, and developer experience.