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Why APIs Deserve Lifecycle Management
Let's discuss why APIs should be managed like any other software product before we learn how to manage them. Market research estimates that the microservices market will reach USD 21,67 billion in 2030.
Experts reported in the same article that "the increasing use of connected products such as smartphones, fitness trackers and tablets, wearables, and smart home appliances is believed to be one of the key growth drivers for the microservices architecture market."
What is the relationship between APIs and microservices? APIs define how software components can interact and communicate programmatically.
They are also the "glue, " allowing system components to exchange information using a particular architectural model. APIs are used to "link" system components that use different programming languages. APIs are the interfaces that these components use to communicate.
APIs are essential for communication between system components. At best, APIs are inefficient. APIs are not only interfaces to microservices but also independent pieces of functionality.
The phases described earlier in the API lifecycle management should have been very familiar to you: design, testing, development, etc.
These phases may seem similar to those used for managing software lifecycles. You would be right. API lifecycle management aims to manage APIs the same as standard software. APIs are treated as if they were full-fledged products by businesses, a sign that they understand their value and the potential for negative business outcomes if they are not managed properly.
The Benefits Of An API Lifecycle Plan
APIs are increasingly powering the world. Many financial and healthcare infrastructures, the travel industry, and others would be in trouble without them.
APIs are the foundation of many modern systems, including booking, data sharing, and information sharing. Enterprises around the world would be lost without these APIs. APIs and how they are managed play a crucial role in the functioning of the modern world.
You can:
- Promoting consistency in API development, testing, and deployment.
- Test the API thoroughly for functionality, performance, and acceptance.
- Establish API style guides and governance programs to produce consistent interfaces for customers and processes.
- Use data models that conceptually relate API capabilities to develop APIs that answer business problems.
- Encourage collaboration at all stages of the API lifecycle.
- Improve the API by analyzing feedback and API usage metrics.
- Define security policies to govern the way API users interact with API.
- Release new API versions while maintaining API stability.
- Retire APIs without disrupting API users.
What Is The API Lifecycle Component?
The full lifecycle of API management can also be divided into distinct phases. They apply to internal and external API management as the principles are the same.
Take a look at these four stages.
API Design Phase
The API lifecycle begins with the design of an API contract. It means that you should design your API to meet consumers' needs, consider available resources, contain relevant business logic, and be easy to understand and consume.
API management software allows you to create APIs or import API definitions. Choose carefully the API management software that you want to use.
If you are modernizing legacy APIs, for example, you may have different needs than businesses building microservices or APIs.
After creating your API contract, you can create a mockup of your API. You can then refine it using feedback from your first consumers.
Then you can modify it and move on to the implementation stage.
The Implementation Phase Of API
You will develop and deploy the API during the implementation phase, ensuring it's secure, easy to discover, and provides a great user experience.
This includes implementing custom plugins and handling rate-limiting, access control, and quotas.
An API gateway is a great help in this situation. The gateway takes care of the security, load-balancing, and other features at the API level.
This allows you to rest assured that all your APIs will be subjected to the same security measures.
API Management Phase
The API lifecycle is not over with the deployment; far from that. After consumers have used your API, enter the continuous development phase.
You will monitor and optimize your API based on your analytics.
These analytics will probably lead you to create another version of your API. You'll then need to take a structured version control approach, which accounts for both minor and major updates, including breaking changes.
This phase of the API lifecycle may see you developing your API environments (development, testing, staging, and production), as well as the API products that you offer, all in line with Continuous Integration/Continuous Development (CI/CD) best practices.
The Phase Of API Consumption
The changes you make in the API management phase will have a significant impact on the API usage phase. You can then transform your business into a product-led one, where your APIs are developed and updated based on how consumers use them.
You can also monetize your business based on the consumption of APIs by offering tiers of services. You can now scale in a big time, adding automated key provisioning and multi-tenant administration, as well as other tools and architectural elements, depending on your needs.
Your analytics could show that APIs aren’t being used as intended. This may prompt you to start anew with your ideation phase and the API lifecycle process.
You may decide that your analytics data or consumption patterns indicate it's time to sunset and deprecate one of the APIs or even just some of its features. Include this in your comprehensive and full approach to API Lifecycle Management.
API Lifecycle Phases
API lifecycle management phases are not defined in detail. Although the names of the phases may vary, the majority of experts include the following activities in their management plan.
Plan & Design
During the Design & Plan phase, a real-world issue that can be resolved using an API is identified and investigated.
Business stakeholders identify the services and functionality that can solve the problem. Team members can then turn their API solution into non-functional and functional requirements after articulating API's business objectives.
Next, create data models based on business requirements. A company offering an API management platform says that a data model is "a set of data specifications, diagrams, and designs related to explain data requirements and their related designs." Data models come in many forms.
The conceptual and logical models are two models that can be used to design APIs.
- Conceptual Data Model: The Conceptual Data Model organizes concepts, rules, and processes into a conceptual framework without much technical detail.
- Logical Data Model: The Logical Data Model extends the requirements analysis to include system entities, relationships, and attributes. A system entity can be anything" that is associated with a particular functionality. Relationships are any relationships between two or more entities. Each entity also has attributes that describe it.
The API style guide is another deliverable from this phase. The API style guides ensure consistency in API elements such as naming conventions and error messages.
Business stakeholders can then hand over their designs to developers after the data models and styles guide have been completed.
Develop
In the next phase, developers will be handed over by business stakeholders. Developers model API resources, API endpoints, and parameters using logical data models.
The API specification is written or generated by the developer. It contains all API elements. The API style guide is used to determine the naming conventions.
The developers can create a mockup for stakeholders to test and provide feedback on the API design. Mockups are usually limited to a small sample of an API's core resources and do not include the entire system.
Mock-up APIs should have a command line interface that allows users to send API requests and a way to receive the data. Mockups provide an opportunity to document and refine the API design based on feedback from users.
Developers can then develop an API using the API specification, leveraging the code they have already written for the mockups.
Scrum leaders and managers use tools such as JIRA to create short stories and novels, which organize API development into individual tasks.
Tests
Testing can start after the Develop stage. Testing can be divided into three categories: acceptance, performance, and functional testing.
- Functional Testing: Tests API features (inputs, outputs) according to the options specified in the API specification. The testers test the API parameters and resources to make sure that they return the desired output.
- Performance Testing: It is an API stress test that determines whether the API can handle heavy traffic. This test makes sure that the API has been designed to be scalable and perform reliably during high traffic.
- Acceptance Testing: It is a way to ensure that an API will solve the business problem for which it was designed. After API development, the business solution may evolve to include new cases. It may be found that based on API usage, there is a case that requires a resource to have a parameter added.
Deploy & Monitor
Performance testing is often used as a second step in the initial deployment of an API. In order to test the API, real users send multiple requests simultaneously to the API server.
If an issue arises during or after the deployment, there should be a way to roll back to a previous stable version of the API.
APIs should be available in a safe environment. APIs are typically deployed and managed over a long period of time using API Management Platforms like AWS API Gateway, Microsoft Azure API, or others.
These top API platform give developers access to APIs and provide a secure connection between clients and API servers. A platform for API management is essential to successfully deploy and manage APIs over time. They typically contain the following modules:
- The API gateway acts as a security guard to the API, authenticating users, authorizing client requests, and securing client connections with API servers. The API gateway can also be used to direct traffic to the correct resources based on certain business requirements.
- The API portal allows developers to deploy APIs and can generate documentation automatically.
- API Lifecycle Management Module allows you to manage APIs at each phase of the API lifecycle. API Management platforms are a great way to manage API retirement.
- API Policy Manager allows you to create policy templates that will manage API traffic and security as well as performance for your API users.
- API Analytics allows companies to monitor API usage and activity logs to determine how effectively the API achieves its business goals.
Retire
Retire is the phase where an API is deprecated. When retiring an API, there are several things to take into consideration:
- Does there exist a retirement plan that includes both internal and external stakeholders?
- Do you have a plan for communication?
- Does the user need to do anything, or can they retire seamlessly?
- How will you manage your transition to the new API, if applicable?
To effectively sunset an API, you need to communicate clearly and provide clear documentation. This is particularly true when user interaction is required.
Many legacy APIs have been replaced by newer ones that offer improved functionality. The Retire phase is also applicable to retiring API versions in order to ensure smooth transitions. API users must be kept informed of the retirement process and protected from any negative effects.
API Lifecycle Management: Challenges And Opportunities
Here are some of the challenges that an API management platform could help you overcome:
Versioning
If developers don't ensure that APIs are stable, new versions of APIs can break applications. Some versions are seamless and involve only a backend change that doesn't affect the API interface.
A "low-impact" change might also include the addition of a parameter, which would require documentation to explain how to use it.
Problems can arise when the API interface is changed and the way the API is used by the user changes. A communication plan, clear documentation, and release notes are all ways that developers can ensure a smooth integration of new features which affect existing functionality.
A tool that manages APIs can be used to deploy new versions and rollbacks.
The Security Of Your Own Home
APIs expose sensitive business data. API users must be able to access APIs securely. API Management platforms provide the functionality to manage API access by:
- Users can sign up for plans that are usually progressive.
- Client applications can generate APIs.
- APIs are accessible via an interface.
- Securing the API connections between clients.
- Managing security policies that dictate API interaction.
Read More:
low-code API management tool could bring benefits such as increased speed, fewer coding errors and wider accessibility
Documentation
API documentation is often overlooked. Third-party tools can render documentation from the specification for APIs that follow a design language such as REST.
This documentation, also known as "reference documentation," provides a comprehensive guide of all API components, such as resources, endpoints, and parameters.
API conceptual documentation, which includes tutorials, use cases, and getting-started guides, is often overlooked.
Because it is authored by humans and necessitates the participation of technical writers, developers, and business stakeholders, the documentation is labor-intensive. As time and resources are limited, conceptual documentation becomes more challenging. It can generate the reference documentation automatically for your new releases.
The Government Of Canada
Governance is the process of ensuring that the API developer experience is consistent across all touchpoints with clients.
A style guide for APIs can help ensure that consistent design patterns will be followed during the API lifecycle as APIs are developed, designed, and then improved based on feedback. Style guides offer instructions for each API element and guarantee uniformity among APIs that are part of the same platform.
The governance of APIs goes beyond the design standards to include documentation standards and all other standardization practices.
Scalability
Scalability is the ability of an API to handle increased API usage without compromising performance. API performance testing occurs in pre-production when APIs are stressed by submitting multiple requests at once.
Performance must be maintained after the API is released as API users multiply and API strain increases. After deployment, testing is necessary to ensure that the service meets customer expectations.
You Can Also Read About The Advantages Of Using It
Businesses that cannot effectively capture analytics are unable to maintain scalability or uncover business insights.
Instead of building custom analytics applications, businesses use API Management Platforms that have built-in dashboards for analytics to understand patterns in API use, performance constraints, or the causes of frequent errors. The data gathered can be used to inform business decisions about how the API should be improved.
Best Practices In API Lifecycle Management
Here are some of the best practices you should consider when implementing an API lifecycle program:
Do Not Rush The Design Phase
In the Design and Plan phase, one of the advantages of an API lifecycle plan is that the business goals are fully articulated.
Be sure to fully articulate the API's goals before writing any code. The design phase generates functional and non-functional specifications, data models, and an API style guide. The outputs of the design phase are needed to create API specifications.
Early termination of the Plan & Design stage can result in costly changes to the development phase.
Select The Best API Management Tools
API management tools are a great way to manage the API lifecycle. You should choose the best tool for your needs.
If the API is aimed at public cloud computing, it might be better to use platforms like Amazon or Google's that offer cloud API management. These platforms recognize that RESTful APIs do not necessarily require an entire suite of API management tools. In such cases, it may be sufficient to simply use the API Gateway.
Are you looking for a flexible API Management Platform that allows you to integrate the tools of choice but still manage them centrally? It may be more beneficial to use a platform such as Anypoint, which emphasizes "self-integration" and customization of components for API integration tools.
It is possible that you don't need an API management tool. You can instead create an infrastructure that combines separate tools.
You may, for example, use different tools to manage an API Gateway, API Lifecycle Management, API Policy Manager, Analytics, etc.
Assign An API Development Team
A dedicated development team allows businesses to create and maintain APIs while maintaining consistency with a governance program.
A team can continuously evaluate a company’s API portfolio in order to identify new areas of business or improvements for existing APIs. This also reduces the amount of documentation, which would be difficult for one developer to handle.
A team of API developers includes many individuals who are responsible for managing and accessing APIs. APIs must be found using search filters and versioning.
The team members should have the ability to find API documentation, API codes, and files for testing.
Prioritize Mobile Friendliness
APIs can support mobile experiences by adopting "mobile first" principles similar to responsive website design. Programmes for API governance can aid in ensuring that API elements are consistently used in mobile development.
Monetize Legacy Services
By exposing their backend services to public web services, businesses can monetize them. API lifecycle management allows this to be achieved through a change in mindset.
Businesses might not have used these services before the general public became aware of APIs because they weren't "products" with lifecycles. Businesses are now repurposing legacy services that were not used before the API economy. The services are managed in the same manner as any standard software.
APIs can be updated as a result of user feedback.
What Does Lifecycle Management Mean For API Gateways?
A gateway API provides consumers with a single point of access to your APIs. It can perform a variety of functions, from authentication and authorization to routing, load balancing, and security.
A free API gateway like CISIN will help you to reduce costs while still achieving all your goals with APIs. Full lifecycle management is a much broader concept. It includes the entire process of designing, deploying, and managing APIs.
The API gateway is a key component in this process.
Microservices API Gateway
When it comes to creating a microservices-based architecture, an API gateway offers multiple benefits. An API gateway can be used to give consumers a single entry point into your microservices.
Then, you can use any combination of languages and communication protocols across all your microservices to build, evolve and change services according to your business requirements without changing the user interface.
This neat solution can help you control traffic flow and load balancing. It also helps to implement consistent security, mock and virtualize your new services, and protects your internal concerns.
It is also possible to support your business in scaling up by using an API gateway. This can be difficult without a gateway. The API gateway offers greater flexibility while providing a great user experience.
Who Manages API Lifecycle Management?
The size and structure of your business will determine who manages the API Lifecycle. You may have one or two API managers overseeing the entire API lifecycle.
Depending on the size of your team, they could be API product managers or enterprise architects.
The API manager is responsible for the overall lifecycle management. However, other members of the DevOps team will be managing certain elements.
These may include API administrators, application network architects, API analysts, and other members of the DevOps Team.
API Lifecycle In The Enterprise World
In enterprises, APIs can be a powerful driver of digital transformation. They are able to do this thanks to API lifecycle management and workflows that support their organizational objectives.
Standardization is one of the most important things API lifecycle management can bring to the enterprise. As businesses grow, they often create silos.
This can result in a significant disparity between the design and implementation of APIs. A full lifecycle approach can standardize the way an enterprise approaches its APIs. This will result in increased efficiency and enhanced API security.
Enterprises can monitor their APIs, evolve them, and even roll it back when necessary with the support of full lifecycle management of APIs.
Federated Architecture For API Management
Federation is one API architecture pattern that has recently attracted a lot of attention. A federated API architecture can help organizations to manage the complexity of managing APIs and microservices at scale.
Businesses can expose multiple services, event streams, and APIs as a single API by introducing API Federation. Consumers can enjoy the consistency provided by a single API while businesses continue to develop services in the background.
GraphQL is one way to create a federated architectural model (though other methods exist), as well as certain design principles and toolkits.
Like full-lifecycle API management, federation offers benefits to businesses in terms of standardization and efficiencies that help them scale.
What Is API Lifecycle Management Of Assets?
APIs can be a valuable asset for businesses that provide significant opportunities to gain a competitive edge and generate revenue.
API management is good for those assets. By implementing the API lifecycle, you can guarantee a consistent and robust approach at every stage of the API's life, from initial conception to retirement.
This approach to managing API assets will give you a solid foundation on which to scale, flex, and transform your company, regardless of how big, complex, or geographically distributed it may be.
The Future Of API Management
API lifecycle management involves a phased approach to managing APIs from their conception to their retirement. It is a part of API management which promotes the consistency, performance, and scalability of API integration over time.
APIs are becoming increasingly important as the glue for communication between components of systems. APIs are "products," not isolated functions, and should be managed the same as standard software.
API lifecycle management provides businesses with the framework for doing this. Full lifecycle API Management will be critical in ensuring APIs are designed, developed, implemented, tested, and version controlled.
They can also be published and monetized.
Small and large businesses alike are developing APIs based on the products they offer. These businesses, by implementing a robust management structure and putting APIs at the forefront of their business model, are helping consumers achieve their goals as well as maximizing their monetization opportunities.
Everyone wins!
