API gateways
An API Gateway is an architectural pattern and a central component in distributed systems that acts as a single entry point for clients interacting with a collection of backend services. It handles common concerns like routing requests to appropriate services, authentication, authorization, rate…
Key facts
- First appeared
- 2015
- Category
- technology
- Problem solved
- API Gateways address the complexities arising from direct client-to-microservice communication, which often involves multiple endpoints, diverse protocols, security challenges, and the need for cross-cutting concerns (authentication, rate limiting, logging) to be handled consistently and efficiently. It centralizes these concerns and provides a simplified, consistent interface for external consumers.
- Platforms
- Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), Virtual Machines, Container Orchestration Platforms (Kubernetes, OpenShift), Bare Metal
Related technologies
Notable users
- Netflix
- Many large enterprises adopting microservices
- Amazon (AWS customers)
- Google (GCP customers)
- Microsoft (Azure customers)
- Uber
- Lyft