Ever since the inception of the Application programming interface or better known as API, there has been an increase in the need to know how they are created, how they work, and where we can find them. From API gateways to API management tools, this knowledge helps users use API management service products. API developers built a developer portal for API management in order to meet this need. This post is designed to help you understand all of this, but first, you must learn what an API portal is.
What Is an API Portal
The API portal is a location where API developers and users can visit to gain access to a company’s or individual’s APIs. The API portal can also be referred to as an API developer portal. This is because it acts as a repository where developers can share data and information in real-time or through mobile applications and the distributed cloud. An example of a quality developer portal is the Azure portal or APIM instance.
The Azure API Management Developer Portal provides you with API management services that offer you a platform to help you better manage your API projects. The API management platform is divided into two portals with two sets of users. These portals are:
- The developer portal is used by developers seeking to use your API.
- The Azure portal is reserved for those who publish APIs and manage policies and operations.
So, in order to access an API, you must register with the developer portal. At this registration, you’ll be issued a subscription to the API of your choice alongside the API keys that you’ll have to authenticate.
Once an API developer is done creating an API, they store it in a repository. An example of such a repository is the GitHub repo which acts as an API management developer platform. The GitHub repo provides API users with an API catalog while offering API developers a reliable API management platform that exposes their API creations to new customers. The GitHub repo provides you with a new source of revenue that can lead to the unlocking of your existing collaborative.
Difference Between API Gateway And API Portal
Both the API portal and API gateway are part of your API strategy, but they play different roles. The API portal serves as the front end of your API strategy that allows users to sign up for the API. It also offers information about the API, such as API documentation, blogs, portal content, usage plans, and community forums.
Doing so allows for efficient and successful integration while offering API platforms to report feedback and bugs and contact support. The API gateway is more of a backend component of your API strategy where it acts as a traffic regulator by managing load balancing and API usage.
How To Best Develop an API Portal
Using API with incomplete or no API documentation is quite challenging. Therefore, it’s wise to use an API development portal to avoid such hardships. When developing an API, your users need to come first. As stated above, an API portal serves as an API catalog where you list everything about your API.
Remember, the overview blade on your API should be clear and well-detailed, from the API documentation to the usage plan and the architecture if it’s a rest API. You can create an API holistic catalog to accelerate your organization’s digital transformation and API strategy.
Advantages Of Using API Portals
Offer An Engagement Platform
API portals offer you a chance to build an API community where you can engage with developers and partners. Also, the portal offers users API management tools that they can use in case they need support. In addition to keeping track of any changes to the API, they can also collaborate with other developers.
Personalized Notifications and Dashboards
API developers are able to create a customized overview blade in API portals. API management tools will be provided to partners and developers. This will enable them to monitor APIs and business metrics.
API Monetization
Most API management platforms like the Azure API management platform, come with API portals that allow developers the opportunity to monetize their APIs through customized licensing for their customers.
API Documentation and Testing
The API publisher portal allows developers to publish API documentation along with the API. The API documentation mainly contains the usage plan of the API, its architecture, version control, ongoing updates, and retirement
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