Api Gateways Flashcards
What is an API Gateway and why is it used
An API Gateway acts as an intermediary between clients and backend services managing requests routing them and handling authentication logging and rate limiting
How does an API Gateway improve security
It provides authentication authorization and encryption to protect backend services from unauthorized access
What performance optimizations does an API Gateway offer
It includes caching compression and request aggregation to enhance response times and reduce backend load
How does an API Gateway help in a microservices architecture
It simplifies management by acting as a single entry point decoupling clients from services and allowing independent service evolution
What is request routing in an API Gateway
It directs client requests to the appropriate backend service based on URL patterns and service configurations
How does authentication and authorization work in an API Gateway
It verifies client identity using methods like OAuth API keys or JWT and ensures users have correct permissions
What is rate limiting in an API Gateway
It controls the number of requests a client can make within a given time to prevent abuse and maintain service stability
How does request transformation work in an API Gateway
It modifies incoming requests or outgoing responses such as adding headers changing query parameters or restructuring data
Why is load balancing important in an API Gateway
It distributes incoming requests across multiple service instances to ensure even resource utilization and availability
What is caching in an API Gateway
It stores responses for frequently accessed resources to reduce backend processing and improve latency
How does logging and monitoring work in an API Gateway
It captures request and response logs for tracking debugging and analytics purposes
What is API versioning in an API Gateway
It allows multiple API versions to coexist by routing requests to the correct versioned service
How does an API Gateway process a client request
It authenticates applies rate limits transforms and routes the request to the appropriate backend service then sends back the response
What are some popular API Gateway tools
Some popular tools are NGINX Kong AWS API Gateway Apigee and Traefik each offering unique features
What are the advantages of using an API Gateway
It simplifies client interactions enhances security offloads backend complexity and improves scalability
What are the disadvantages of using an API Gateway
It can introduce a single point of failure add latency increase complexity and incur higher costs
How does an API Gateway differ from a reverse proxy
An API Gateway manages API requests provides authentication rate limiting and transformation whereas a reverse proxy primarily routes traffic
How does an API Gateway differ from a Load Balancer
An API Gateway operates at the application layer managing API-specific concerns while a Load Balancer distributes traffic across servers for availability
Why is an API Gateway essential for microservices
It abstracts microservices complexity provides a unified interface and facilitates service communication efficiently
How does an API Gateway handle GraphQL requests
It enables GraphQL support allowing clients to query only the necessary data optimizing performance and reducing payload size
What is the difference between an API Gateway and a Service Mesh
An API Gateway handles client-to-service traffic whereas a Service Mesh manages service-to-service communication within a microservices architecture
How does an API Gateway contribute to scalability
It enables load balancing caching and request optimization allowing backend services to scale independently
How can an API Gateway help with security compliance
It enforces security policies like rate limiting authentication encryption and logging ensuring regulatory compliance
How do API Gateways support microservices deployments
They route requests manage access handle failures and enable service discovery in dynamic microservices environments
