APIyhdyskäytävät

APIyhdyskäytävät, often referred to as API gateways, serve as a central entry point for clients accessing backend services. They act as a reverse proxy, routing incoming API requests to the appropriate backend service. This architectural pattern simplifies client-side development by abstracting the complexity of distributed backend systems.

Key functions of an API gateway include request routing, authentication, authorization, rate limiting, and response transformation. By centralizing these cross-cutting concerns, developers can focus on core business logic within individual services. This leads to a more modular and maintainable system.

When a client makes a request, it is first received by the API gateway. The gateway then determines which backend service is responsible for handling the request based on predefined rules, such as the request path or headers. It may also perform security checks, like verifying API keys or tokens, and enforce usage policies, like limiting the number of requests a client can make within a given time frame. Finally, the gateway forwards the request to the relevant service, receives the response, and returns it to the client. This single point of access enhances security, improves manageability, and provides a consistent interface for consumers of the API.