Anatomy of Azure API management service

Azure API Management

Fiodar Sazanavets

Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft

Dealing with different API types

  • Azure Function App can have multiple functions
  • REST APIs can be built in many different ways
    • Can be built using standard server-hosted web application
    • Using any programming language
  • Other API types, such as GraphQL and gRPC
    • Also rely on HTTP
  • GraphQL used for more fine-grained control over data queries

OpenAPI, GraphQL, and gRPS logos

  • gRPC is used for fast performance-critical communication in binary format
Azure API Management

Managing all APIs in one place

  • Azure API management can manage different APIs all in one place
  • Can manage different APIs
  • Centralized control
    • Provides them with consistent configuration and security policies
    • Achieving high level of control at scale
  • Comes with analytics to identify performance bottlenecks
  • Rate-limits incoming requests
  • Applies common security policies

API Management logo

Azure API Management

Managing APIs in One Place

  • Many API types are supported:
    • Standard HTTP
    • Websocket
    • GraphQL
    • gPRC
  • Can connect to APIs via published API documentation
    • OpenAPI
    • WSDL
  • Different APIs can be connected to the same APIM instance

Selecting an API in APIM

  • All connected APIs can be managed in the same place in a centralized manner
Azure API Management

Using API Gateway

  • HTTP requests go through API Gateway
  • Mediating between consumer and back-end services
  • Applies security measures, rate limits, request/response transformations, and other policies
  • Can also convert protocols
    • HTTP -> HTTPS
  • Acts as the only set of public API endpoints
    • No longer accessible by external clients

API gateway

Azure API Management

Cental hub

  • All public endpoints for them are now provided by the API Management itself.

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Azure API Management

The developer portal

  • Customizable web-based interface APIM Developer Portal
Azure API Management

Using developer portal

  • Customizable publicly accessible UI
  • Documentation for API endpoints managed by APIM
    • Such as Open API

  • API Management can publish API documentation configured via Developer Portal

  • Fully customizable UI for bespoke documentation

Customization icon

Documentation icon

UI icon

Azure API Management

Let's practice!

Azure API Management

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