Creación de tu primer API Proxy en Apigee

What is an API specification and why is it important?

API specifications are based on a standard known as Open API, formerly Swagger, which allows defining a standard interface for integrating APIs. This standard is crucial as it helps both humans and machines to understand the capabilities of a service without the need to access the source code. The specifications offer detailed, accessible and understandable documentation, providing descriptions of the operations and parameters that the API supports. This is especially useful for developers looking to integrate services without having to understand all the logic behind the backend.

For those who want to dive deeper into Open API, the Open API Initiative site is an excellent resource for more details, blogs and helpful resources to get started.

What is an API Proxy and what does it do?

A Proxy API is a developer-oriented interface that allows the use of backend services without directly interacting with them. Instead of consuming the services directly, you access a proxy that provides built-in functionality such as:

• Security
• Speed limiting
• Quotas
• Caching
• Persistence
• Data transformation

In addition, it enables data analysis and fault handling. In essence, a Proxy API acts as an intermediary layer that optimizes the integration and use of backend services.

How to create a Proxy API with APIG from a specification?

Creating a Proxy API with APIG is a simple and efficient process if you follow a series of basic steps:

1. Importing the Specification: Access the develop and specs section, where you can import an existing specification. In this case, a YAML file that clearly defines the available operations, such as getting all products or a specific one by ID.

   paths: /products: get: summary: Get all products /products/{id}: get: summary: Get a product by ID

2. Proxy Creation: After importing the specification, go to API proxy and create a proxy based on it. Select the name you previously defined for your specification and define a basepath.

3. Configuration of the Service to Consume: Set the target service you want to consume. In this example, a product catalog is used that has properties such as ID, name, description, image, categories and price. The URL of the catalog is public and allows different operations to be performed.

4. Validation and Configuration: Verify that the operations you want to perform are selected, check the Secure option to secure the service and enable a test environment.

5. Deploy and Test: Once configured, select create and deploy to complete the proxy creation. Next, test your API in the Trace section to make sure it responds correctly, checking if you get correctly structured responses and the correct HTTP status (usually 200 for success).

At the end of these steps, you will have created your first API using APIG, allowing for a more robust and secure integration by using a Proxy API.

Now that you have mastered the creation of APIs with APIG, we encourage you to practice what you have learned to strengthen your skills and explore new possibilities in backend service management!