Introduction

to API
Standards
•Definition of API Standards
Rules and guidelines for designing,
building,
and
maintaining APIs.

• Importance in Software
Architecture Ensures smooth
communication between systems.
Improves security, scalability, and
maintainability.

•Types of APIs
Why API
Standards
Matter?
• Consistency Across Teams –
Standardized APIs make development
smoother.

•Security & Compliance – Prevents

security
vulnerabilities.

•Better Developer Experience – Well-

structured APIs improve usability.

•Performance & Scalability – Efficient API

calls optimize performance.
 •RESTful Standards
•Use of HTTP Methods (GET, POST, PUT,
DELETE)
•Proper Status Codes (200, 400, 500, etc.)
•JSON as the Standard Data Format

Comm •GraphQL Best Practices

•Single Endpoint for Queries & Mutations

on API •Strongly Typed Schema

•Avoid Overfetching & Underfetching

Standa •gRPC Standards

•Protocol Buffers for Serialization

rds •High-Performance Communication

•SOAP Guidelines
•XML-based Protocol
•WSDL for Service Description
API Security
Standards
OAuth 2.0 s OpenID Connect for Authentication

JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for Secure API Calls

Rate Limiting to Prevent Abuse

CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) for

Access Control Encryption(TLS/SSL) for

Secure Communication
API Documentation
Standards
OpenAPI Specification (OAS)

Swagger for API Testings

Documentation

Postman Collections for API

Testing Clear Versioning (v1,

API
Performance
s Scalability
Best
Practices
•Caching Strategies
(Redis, CDN, etc.)
• Pagination for
Large Data
Responses
•
Asynchronous
Processing for
Heavy Workloads
•Microservices & API
Gateway Usage
API Governance s
Compliance

ISO/IEC 27001 - GDPR, HIPAA - SOC 2 - Secure

Security Data Data
Compliance Privacy Management
Compliance
 Google APIs – Follow

Rea RESTful principles C

OAuth 2.0

Worl
l- Facebook Graph API –

dCas
Uses GraphQL for
flexible queries

Studi
e Stripe API – Well-
documented with
OpenAPI
What Is API Architecture?
At its core, API architecture refers to the structural design of how
Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are developed, implemented,
and managed. APIs serve as intermediaries, allowing applications
interact
to and exchange data, regardless of their underlying technologies.
A robust API architecture ensures:
• Consistency in data exchange.
• Scalability to accommodate growth.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing business needs.
• Security to protect sensitive information.
 1. Monolithic
Architecture

API 2. Microservices
Architecture

Deployment
3. Serverless Architecture
Styles
4. Event-Driven
Architecture

[Link]-Oriented
Architecture (SOA)
1. Monolithic Architecture

• A single, unified application where all components (UI, business logic, database) are
tightly
coupled.
• Best for small applications or startups with simple workflows.
• APIs are used for communication within the monolithic application, often connecting the
database, business logic, and user interface.
• Simple to develop and deploy, easier to manage.

When to Choose:
• Small projects or startups where speed of development is prioritized.
• Suitable for early-stage applications or MVPs (Minimal Viable Products).

Cons:
•Hard to scale as the app grows.
•Difficult to update or maintain as components are tightly coupled.

Example: A traditional e-commerce platform where all services – user authentication,

inventory, and payments – are tightly coupled.(Flipkart- intially)
2. Microservice Architecture

• An application is split into multiple independent services that communicate via APIs.

• Each service can be developed, deployed, and maintained independently.

• Scalable and flexible.

When to Choose:
•Large, high-traffic applications like social media platforms (e.g., Netflix, Amazon).
•Projects needing scalability, continuous deployment, and independent development
of components.

Cons:
•Requires more resources to manage and maintain.
•Complex communication between services.
3. Serverless Architecture

• Code runs on cloud-managed infrastructure without managing servers. Uses

Function-as- a-Service (FaaS).
• Best for event-driven tasks like data processing, scheduled jobs, and
lightweight APIs.

Example:
• AWS Lambda in Slack Bots: Processes messages and triggers actions when
keywords are detected.
• Image Processing API: Automatically resizes images when uploaded.

• Pay only for the actual compute time used, reducing costs for small,
unpredictable workloads.
• Ideal for startups or projects with tight budgets where you don't
want to manage infrastructure.

Cons:
•Limited control over infrastructure.
•Cold starts (initial delay when invoking functions).
4. Event-Driven Architecture

• APIs respond to events (like database updates, user actions, or device

signals), suitable for real-time applications with asynchronous
communication.

• In event-driven systems, APIs are used to publish and subscribe to

events, facilitating communication between different components.

When to Choose:
• For real-time applications like IoT systems, chat applications, or event-
driven data processing
(e.g., Uber, smart homes).
• Use cases needing high reliability and scalability with minimal latency.

Cons:
• Harder to debug and trace workflows.
• Can be complex to set up and monitor effectively.
5. Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)

• Uses a central Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) to connect services, ensuring

interoperability.

When to Choose:
o Best for enterprise-level applications or legacy systems that need to integrate
with new
technologies.
o Suitable when multiple third-party services need to communicate, like in
banking or insurance industries.

Cons:
• Complexity in integrating multiple systems.
• Often requires managing an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB), which can be costly and
hard to scale.

Example:
• Banking Systems (HDFC, ICICI, SBI, etc.) - Centralized Control and Security,
Integration with Legacy Systems

• Airline Booking: Integrates flight availability, pricing, and ticketing from different
providers.
 1. REST
Types of 2. SOAP
Architecture
3. GRAPHQ
L

4. gRPC
1.
REST
• Uses HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) and stateless
architecture.
• Communicates using JSON or XML.
• Scalable and widely used for web services.
• Pros: Simple, flexible, and cacheable.
• Cons: Over-fetching/under-fetching, multiple endpoints for
different data.
• Use Case: Web applications, mobile apps.
• Example: Twitter API.
• Uses XML for messaging and works over multiple protocols
SOAP SMTP,
2. Built-in
(HTTP, WS-Security
TCP). for and
• encryption authentication.
• Requires strict contracts (WSDL) for service operations.
• Pros: Highly secure, reliable, supports ACID transactions.
• Cons: Heavy, slower than REST, difficult to implement.
• Use Case: Banking, financial transactions, government services.
• Example: PayPal API.
3.
GRAPHQL
• Single endpoint (/graphql), allowing clients to request only
necessary data.
• Strongly typed schema, reducing over-fetching and under-
fetching.
• Supports real-time updates via subscriptions.
• Pros: Efficient, flexible, self-documenting.
• Cons: More complex, potential performance issues with deep
queries.
• Use Case: Modern apps with dynamic data needs.
• Example: GitHub API.

4. gRPC
• Uses Protocol Buffers (Protobuf) for lightweight and fast data
exchange.
• Supports bidirectional streaming and works over HTTP/2.
• Ideal for microservices and high-performance applications.
• Pros: Faster than REST, supports multiple languages, efficient for
inter-service
Feature REST SOAP GraphQL gRPC
Web & Enterprise
Flexible data High-
Best For mobile applications &
fetching performanc
application financial
& modern APIs e
s services
microservic
es
JSON Binary
Data Format JSON, XML, plain XML (Protoc
text ol
Buffers
)
Request- Streaming &
Communication Style Request-Response Request-Response Request
Response
(stateless) (stateful or Response
(client-specified
stateless)
fields)
Scalability High Moderate High Very High

Web & mobile Banking, Social media High-speed

applications, enterprise apps, apps, e- communication
Use Cases CRUD APIs payment commerce, in
gateways flexible APIs microservices,
IoT, real-time
 1.
Complexity
[Link]
Choosing
Right 3. Data
Architecture Structures

4. Security

5. Tools
The choice of API architecture depends on
various factors: Complexity of the application:
• If the application is simple and only basic CRUD (Create, Read,
Update,
needs Delete) operations, REST APIs are a good choice.
• If the application is complex, involving multiple interrelated data entities and
requiring flexible queries, GraphQL might be more suitable as it allows
to fetch exactly the data they need. clients
Performance requirements:
• Applications that demand high performance, such as real-time
communication (e.g., chat apps, stock market tickers), might benefit from
gRPC or WebSockets.
• REST APIs, being text-based (JSON/XML), might not be efficient for high-speed,
low- latency applications.
The choice of API architecture depends on
various factors: Data structure:
• REST APIs are good for structured and simple data exchanges, where resources
follow a predictable format.
• SOAP, on the other hand, is better suited for handling complex transactions (e.g.,
financial systems) because it supports a more rigid, standardized format and
additional security layers.
Security considerations:
• While all architectures provide security measures like authentication and
encryption, some (e.g., SOAP with WS-Security) offer stronger built-in
features,
security making them preferable for sensitive applications like banking.
• REST APIs often rely on OAuth or JWT for security but might need
additional measures for high-security environments.
The choice of API architecture depends on
various factors:
Ecosystem and tools:
• The availability of frameworks, SDKs, and tools for a particular API architecture
can affect development speed and efficiency.
• For example, REST has broad support across many languages and platforms, while
gRPC has better support in high-performance systems but might require additional
tooling.
Use Cases for Different API Types and Architectures:
• E-commerce: REST APIs for handling product catalogs, orders, and
payment processing.
• Social Media: REST or GraphQL APIs for user interactions, content
sharing, and social graph management.
•Finance: SOAP APIs for secure and reliable B2B transactions and data
exchange.
• Healthcare: REST APIs for accessing medical data, scheduling
appointments, and managing patient records.
• IoT (Internet of Things): gRPC or WebSockets APIs for real-time data
transmission and device control.
Use Case Best API Type

CRUD operations (standard web app) REST

Dynamic queries & flexible data fetching GraphQL

High-performance microservices gRPC

Real-time communication (chat, stock WebSockets

prices)
 1. API
Endpoint
Components 2. Request-Response
Model
of API
3. Protocols
Architecture
4. Data Format

5. API Gateway
API
An API endpoint is a specific URL where an API receives requests and sends
Endpoint
responses. It represents a
function of the API and is typically structured as:
Example : [Link]
 [Link] → Base URL
 /users/{id} → Endpoint (fetches user details by ID)
 {id} → Path parameter (dynamic value)
Request-Response
Model
APIs typically follow a request-response cycle where the client sends a request, and the
server responds with data or an error message.
Example: A user requests data from a payment gateway API to retrievetransaction history.
The request might look like this:
Protocol
APIs
s use protocols to define the rules of communication. Common protocols include:
• REST (Representational State Transfer): Lightweight and stateless, often used for web
APIs.
• SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol): XML-based and used in enterprise
applications.
• GraphQL: Flexible and allows clients to specify the data they need.
• gRPC: High-performance framework for microservices communication.

Data Format
APIs commonly use JSON or XML to structure their data for easy readability and
compatibility.
API
An API Gateway acts as an intermediary between clients
Gateway
and backend services. It handles authentication, request
routing, rate limiting, logging, and security

•Traffic Management & Routing

Directs client requests to the appropriate backend
services.
Supports URL rewriting, request transformation, and
versioning.

•Load Balancing & Performance Optimization

Distributes requests across multiple backend servers to
improve scalability.
Implements caching to reduce server load and improve
response time.

•Monitoring & Logging

Tracks API usage, request latency, errors, and
performance metrics.
• Security & Authentication in API Architecture
Implements API keys, OAuth, JWT, and rate limiting to
protect APIs.
Prevents unauthorized access and DDoS attacks.

1 ⃣ User Requests Access (Resource Owner)

•The user (resource owner) initiates authentication on your
website by
clicking a "Sign in with Google" button.
•This request is sent to the Authorization Server (Google in
this case).
2 ⃣ Authorization Request (Client Application →
Authorization Server)
• Your website (client application) redirects the user to
the Google authorization server.
•The authorization server asks the user to grant access
to their
Google account.
3 ⃣ User Grants Permission
•If the user agrees, the authorization server issues an
authorization
code (or access token in implicit flow).
•This is sent back to your website's callback URL.
4 ⃣ Exchange Code for Token (Client Application →
Authorization
Server)
•Your backend server takes this authorization code and
requests an
Real-World Examples of API Architecture

Google Maps API

■ Google Maps API allows developers to embed maps, geolocation features, and
directions into applications. It provides a RESTful interface with endpoints like
/maps/api/directions and supports JSON responses. Its robust documentation and
SDKs make it a go-to solution for geospatial needs.
Twitter API
■ Twitter’s API offers REST and streaming endpoints for developers to access tweets,
user profiles, and analytics. Its API supports OAuth for secure authorization and
enables third-party apps like Hootsuite to manage social media accounts.
GET [Link]
POST [Link]
Design Principles Building a n d U s i n g
APIs
Overview A Practical Guide to API
Development s
Integration
The process of making intentional decisions about how
an API will expose data and functionality to its consumers.

The API design process benefits both consumers and

producers by ensuring that APIs support business
objectives while remaining easy to use, adaptable,
testable, and well-documented. API design should occur
early in the API lifecycle in order to achieve alignment
among key stakeholders and to help teams identify issues
before they become ingrained.
Tools an d
Technologies

● API Testing Tools: Postman,

Insomnia

● API Documentation: Swagger

(OpenAPI), Redoc

● API Management: AW S API

Gateway, Apigee

● Monitoring and Debugging:

Prometheus, Datadog
Design Principles
Best Practices

Keep it Design clear, intuitive

Simple: APIs
Consistent Naming: Use RESTful naming
conventions (e.g., /users, /products)

Error Handling: Provide meaningful error messages with proper HTTP

Pagination
status codes : Manage large datasets effectively

Security Use OAuth, API Keys, or JWT for

First: authentication
Documentation: Provide clear, interactive API documentation using tools like
Swagger

API architecture refers to

the process of developing a
API software interface
exposes backend data and
that

Architecture application functionality for use

in new applications. With an API-
first architecture, you can
create ecosystems of
applications that are modular
and reusable — which is ideal
for microservices.
Building an
API
Step 1: Design your
API Define what your API will do and identify the it will
Understand the API’s use resources handle.
Sketch out the Create a showing how resources relate to each other and
case: diagram decide
structure: on the data
formats.
For example:
Structure: Imagine a diagram
where
Author (on autho ca have books)
● Books are linked s e r n multiple .
to a list of books
purchased .
●
● Users can in JSON
The API will return data
have
format.
Step 2: Implement
the API
Framework: simple like Ruby on Rails, especially when building
Use a framework REST APIs.
Languag Select a you’re comfortable with (e.g., Python,
e: language [Link]).
Create models and migrations: Define your data models and create
database tables.
Define routes: Set up routes to map URLs to controller actions.
Build controllers: Implement logic to handle requests and interact with
your models.
Framework & Languag
e:
Assume we use [Link] with Express or Django with Python to
build it. Database: We store data in a database (e.g.,
PostgreSQL or MongoDB). boo informatio
k n.
● A Books table stores
to thei books
r .
● An author’s table links each author
thei purchase books
r d .
● A Users table stores user details and
Route
s:
● GET /books → Fetch all books.

● GET /books/:id → Fetch a specific book.

● POST /books → Add a new book.

● PUT /books/:id → Update book details.

● DELETE /books/:id → Remove a book.

Each of these routes will interact with the database and return relevant
responses.
Step 3: Test the
API
Run tests: Use tools like Postman to test yout API Endpoints

Check functionality: Ensure that CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update,

Delete) work as expected.

Use Postman or a browser to test each API endpoint.

Example Test Cases:

● Adding a new book and checking if it appears in the book list.

● Fetching a book by ID to verify the correct details are returned.

● Updating a book’s price and checking if the change is reflected.

● Deleting a book and confirming it is removed from the database.

Step 4: Deploy and
maintain
Monitor and update: Constantly monitor the performance of your API and make necessary
updates to ensure it continues to meet user needs.
[Developer Pushes Code] --> [CI/CD Pipeline] --> [Cloud Server (e.g., AWS)] --> [Users Access API]

Monitoring & Maintenance

● Logging s Monitoring → Track API performance with tools like Postman,
LogRocket, or Prometheus.

● Error Handling → If a request fails, return meaningful error responses.

● Versioning → Maintain different API versions (e.g., /v1/books, /v2/books).

Deploy on AWS/GCP/Azure

Monitor API with logs fi

analytics

Secure API with JWT

authentication fi rate
limiting
Real-World API
Examples
Facebook API (Graph API)
Accesses Facebook's social graph to gather user information, posts,
comments,
and
insights.
Social media management tools such as Hootsuite utilize it for
posting scheduling, engagement tracking, and reporting.
Companies can study audience behavior and refine their social
media strategy.
Real-World API
Examples
Google Maps API
Provides interactive maps, routes, and location information.
Uber utilizes it for optimizing routes in real-time and precise ETAs.
Precise navigation is delivered to users, and firms conserve fuel and time through
optimized routes.
Real-World API
Examples
Spotify API
Grants access to Spotify's massive music library and user
information.
Spotify API integrated by Discord bots to stream music into voice
is
Fans of musicchannels.
are able to enjoy personalized and smooth listening
experiences.
Real-World API
Examples
Twitter API (v2)
Enables developers to retrieve tweets, track discussions, and
monitor trends.
News websites such as Flipboard draw breaking news and
trending topics via the API.
Journalists and marketers receive up-to-the-minute information.
 Why API? Exposing
APIs and
 APIs
API
automate tasks, enhance security,
Integrati
and enable real-time data updates.
 They offer scalability, flexibility, and on
cost- effective integration across platforms.
 Unlike direct database access or
web scraping, APIs ensure reliable
communication
between systems while reducing manual
effort, making them ideal for payments,
weather updates, and stock trading.
 API integration reduces manual work,
improves efficiency, and
enables seamless automation.
 It allows businesses to leverage third-
party services without
developing features from scratch.
 Point-to-point integration connects
systems directly, while two middleware-
based
integration uses an intermediary service.
 Event-driven integration relies on real-
time triggers like webhooks for efficient data
flow.
 API Integration with Frontend Apps

 Frontend applications use APIs to fetch and

display data dynamically.
 For example, a social media app retrieves
user posts via an API and updates the
interface without page reloads.
 Backend systems use APIs for data processing,
authentication, and business logic.
 For example, a CRM system integrates APIs to
sync customer records across multiple
platforms.
 Third-party APIsextend an application’s
capabilities developing everything
without
from scratch.
 Popular integrations include Google Maps API
(location services) and Stripe API (online
payments).
 Payment Gateway API Integration

 Secure online transactions require payment

APIs like PayPal, Stripe, or Razorpay.
 These APIs handle payment authentication,
processing, and refunds seamlessly.
 Social Media API Integration

•Social media APIs enable features like

social logins, post sharing, and real-time
updates.
• For example, Facebook and Twitter
APIs allow content sharing across
platforms.
 Cloud API Integration

 Cloud APIs facilitate communication with

cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google
Cloud.
 They allow businesses to scale and deploy
cloud-based applications efficiently.
API Integration

ndling
security
compatibility,
rate nd
maintaining API
breaking existing
🔓 Exposing APIs
This is the process of making your API available for consumption (internally or
externally). It involves
networking, security, documentation, and often versioning.
✅ Steps to Expose an API:
1. Develop the API
Build it using frameworks like Express ([Link]), Django/Flask (Python), Spring Boot
(Java), etc.
2. Host the API
•Options:
• Cloud (AWS,
Serverless Azure,
(e.g., GCP)
AWS Lambda + API 5. Secure the API
• On-premise
Gateway) • OAuth 2.0 / JWT / API Keys
• Containerized (Docker + Kubernetes) • CORS headers
3. Expose via Endpoint • HTTPS/TLS
• Base URL: • Input validation / sanitization
[Link] 6. Document It
• Use HTTPS (never HTTP in production) • Tools: Swagger / OpenAPI,
4. Use API Gateway or Reverse Proxy Postman,
• Tools: Kong, AWS API Gateway, NGINX, Apigee Redoc
• Features: • Include:
• Rate limiting • Endpoint list
• Authentication • Request/response structure
• Caching • Auth requirements
• Monitoring • Sample responses
🔗 API Integration
API integration refers to how your application uses or communicates with another
API.
◻ Common Integration Scenarios:
• Your app calls a 3rd-party service (e.g., Stripe for payments, Google Maps for
geolocation).
• Internal microservices call each other.
• Mobile/web frontend calls your backend API.

◻ API Integration Steps:

1. Get Access Credentials
• API Key / Bearer Token / OAuth Token
2. Review API Documentation
• Check base URL, required headers, parameters, auth method.
3. Make HTTP Requests
• Tools/libraries:
• fetch() / axios (JS)
• requests (Python)
• HttpClient (Java)
4. Handle Errors & Rate Limits
• Retry logic (e.g., exponential backoff)
• Respect 429 Too Many Requests
• Fallbacks or circuit breakers (e.g., with resilience libraries)
5. Logging & Monitoring
What is API
Documentation?
Introduction
• API (Application Programming Interface) documentation is a
structured guide
that explains how to interact with an API. It provides on
information
developers can use the how
to request and retrieve data, perform
actions, with API
integrateand software applications. Good API documentation
ensures that developers can efficiently understand and use an API
without extensive trial and error.
Why is API Documentation
Important?
API documentation serves multiple purposes, including:
• Ease of Integration – Developers can quickly understand how to use
the API.
• Standardization – Ensures consistency in API usage across different
teams and
projects.
• Reduced Support Effort – Fewer support queries for API providers.
• Better Adoption – Increases the likelihood of developers using the API.
• Efficient Debugging – Helps developers identify and fix issues quickly.
Key Components of API Documentation
1. Overview
Section
Provides a high-level introduction to the API, Example API Key Authentication:
GET
including:
• API purpose and use cases [Link]
city=Ne
• Target audience (developers, businesses, etc.) wYork
• Basic concepts or terminology X-API-Key:
Headers:
2. Authentication & Authorization your_api_key

Common methods include:

• API Keys – Unique keys assigned to each user.
• OAuth 2.0 – Token-based authentication, used for secure third-
party access.
• Basic Authentication – Using a username and password.
3. Base URL &
Endpoints
The base URL is the main entry point for making API requests.
Endpoints define specific actions users can perform.
Method Endpoint Description
GET /users Get a list of users
Example Base URL: GET /users/{id} Get user details by
[Link] ID
/v1/ Example Endpoint: POST /users Create a new user
GET PUT /users/{id} Update user details
[Link] DELETE /users/{id} Delete a user
/v1/users
request:
Example response: {
GET "id": "123",
"name": "John Doe",
[Link]
"email":
/v1/users/123 "[Link]@[Link]"
4. HTTP Methods
APIs use HTTP methods to perform actions on
resources:
Example (POST request to create a
• GET – Retrieve data.
user):
• POST – Create new data.
POST
• PUT – Update existing
[Link]
data. Content-Type: application/json
• DELETE – Remove data.
{
• PATCH – Partially update
"name": "Alice",
data. "email": "alice@[Link]"
Response:
{ }
"id": "456",
"name": "Alice",
"email": "
alice@[Link]",
"status": "created"
5. Request Parameters
API requests often include parameters in: Example (Query Parameters):
GET /users?
• Query Parameters – Passed in the URL. role=admin&status=active
• Path Parameters – Part of the URL. Example (Path Parameters):
GET /users/{user_id}
• Body Parameters – JSON data in POST/PUT
requests.
Describes query parameters, path parameters, and request
body format.
Parameter Type Required Description
Parameter Description:
user_id String Yes Unique ID of the users

role String No Filters users by role

status String No Filters users by status

6. Request & Response
Examples
Provides examples of API requests and responses.

Example Request (JSON):

Example Response
POST (JSON):
[Link] {
v1/users "id": "12345",
Content-Type: "name": "John Doe",
application/json
{ "email": "
"name": "John Doe", [Link]@[Link]",
"email": " }"status": "created"
}[Link]@[Link]"
7. Response Codes & Error
Handling
Explains HTTP status codes and how errors are handled.

Status Code Meaning Example Error Response:

200 OK Request successful
{
201 Created Resource successfully created "error": "Invalid email
400 Bad Request Invalid request format format",
Authentication required "code": 400
401 Unauthorized
}
403 Forbidden No permission to access
404 Not Found Resource not found
500 Internal Server Error Server-side error
8. Rate Limits &
Throttling
To prevent excessive API usage, APIs impose limits on the number of
requests.
Example:
X-RateLimit-Limit: 1000 If the limit is exceeded, the API may
return:
X-RateLimit-Remaining:
{
950
"error": "Rate limit exceeded",
X-RateLimit-Reset: 3600 "code": 429
}

9. Pagination
10. SDKs, Libraries
SDK (Software Development Kit)
A complete package that includes libraries, tools, documentation, and sometimes
even a CLI or
GUI to help developers integrate with an API.
Library
A collection of reusable code functions that simplify specific tasks, such as making
API requests, handling authentication, or parsing JSON.

11. Changelog & Versioning

Documents API updates and versioning •v1.0 (2024-01-01) – Initial
strategy. release.
Example: • v1.1 (2024-02-15) –
Added role- based filtering.
• v2.0 (2025-
Best Practices for API
•Be Clear & Concise – Use simple language and avoid unnecessary jargon.
Documentation
•Provide Examples – Real-world use cases make understanding easier.
•Use Interactive Documentation – Tools like Swagger let developers test API
calls.
•Keep it Updated – Outdated documentation leads to confusion.
•Organize Information Well – Use headings, tables, and code snippets for
readability.

Popular Tools
• Swagger (OpenAPI)
documentation.
for API
– Interactive API Documentation A well-documentedAPI should
include:

• Clear request parameters

•
• Postman – API testing and documentation. Detailed request and response
examples
• Appropriate response
• ReadMe – Hosted API documentation platform. codes
• Consistent error
handling
• Slate – Markdown-based API documentation • Additional best practices like rate-limiting and
tool. pagination
 API CLIENTS AND SECURITY
Introduction:
• API clients are applications that interact with APIs.

•They send requests and receive responses from APIs

•Examples: Postman, Insomnia, and custom-built clients.

•API clients help automate, test, and debug API interactions.

•API clients are essential in microservice architecture to enable communication between

services.

•They are used extensively in Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)

pipelines to
automate testing.

• API documentation tools like Swagger and Postman improve the development lifecycle
by simulating API responses

•Real-world Example: Netflix uses API clients to fetch movie details from its backend
TYPES OF
API:
• Web Clients: Frontend applications that consume APIs.
Real-world Example: An e-commerce website using APIs to fetch product listings
and
payment gateways.

• Mobile Clients: Mobile apps interacting with backend services.

Real-world Example: Uber's mobile app interacts with APIs to fetch ride details
and locations.

• IoT Clients: Devices that rely on API connections (e.g., smart home devices,
smartwatches).
Real-world Example: Amazon Alexa uses APIs to communicate with smart home
devices.

• Server-to-Server: APIs communicating between backend systems.

Real-world Example: Payment processing systems like PayPal interacting with
e-commerce platforms.

• Desktop Clients: Standalone applications that interact with APIs for data
synchronization. Real-world Example: Slack desktop application syncing
messages via API.
 API COMMUCATION PROCESS:

•Client Sends a Request → A user or application sends a request to the API (e.g., clicking a button to
fetch weather
• data).
•API Receives the Request → The API server processes the request and checks if it's valid.

•Server Fetches Data → The server retrieves the requested information from a database or another
service.

•Server Sends a Response → The API sends the requested data (e.g., weather details) back to the
client.
 Understanding API:

• Security is critical for protecting sensitive data.

• Common threats: Unauthorized access, data breaches, man-in-the-middle attacks.

• Need for authentication and authorization.

• Compliance with security standards like OWASP API Security Top 10.

• Secure APIs by applying least privilege principles.

• API tokens should have expiration policies to limit exposure.

• Implementing IP whitelisting and rate limiting enhances security.

• Real-world Example: Facebook securing its APIs to prevent unauthorized access to

user data.
 Authentication vs. Authorization:

• Authentication: Verifying who you are (e.g., API keys, OAuth, JWT).

• Authorization: Defining what resources a user can access (Role-Based Access Control -
RBAC).

• Example: A user logging into an online banking API (Authentication) vs.

accessing only their accounts (Authorization).

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is widely used for assigning roles.

• Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) adds more granularity.

• OAuth 2.0 and JWT are commonly used for stateless authentication.

• Real-world Example: Amazon Web Services (AWS) uses IAM roles for API
authentication and
API Authentication Methods:

• API Keys: Simple but less secure.

• OAuth 2.0: Industry-standard authorization framework.
• JWT (JSON Web Tokens): Secure and scalable authentication.
• Mutual TLS Authentication: Enhances security by requiring client certificates.
• HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code) for securing API
[Link]/password
can be used for internal APIs.

• Example (Java - JWT Authentication):

//OAuth 2.0 Authentication

OAuth20Service service = new ServiceBuilder("clientId")
.apiSecret("clientSecret")
.callback("[Link]
.build();
OAuth2AccessToken accessToken =
[Link]("authorizationCode");
[Link]([Link]());
 Securing APIs - Best Practices:
• Use HTTPS for encrypted
communication.
• Implementtoken-
based
authentication.
• Rate to prevent
limiting abuse.
• Monitor API for
traffic anomalies.
• Implement input validation to prevent injection
attacks.

• Avoid exposing sensitive data in URLs.

• Use API to manage API security
gateways
policies.
• Implementlogging and to detect
[Link]
• Real-world Example: Stripe ensures secure payment transactions using API
encryption.
OAuth 2.0 & OpenID Connect:
• OAuth 2.0: Secure authorization protocol.
• OpenID Connect: Adds identity layer to OAuth 2.0.
• Used in applications like Google & Facebook login.
• Provides Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities.
• OAuth grant types: Authorization Code, Client Credentials, Password,
and Implicit.
• OpenID Connect returns ID tokens along with access tokens.

Real-world Example: LinkedIn uses OAuth 2.0 for third-party app

authentication,
Microsoft Azure AD uses OpenID Connect for enterprise SSO.

// Verifying OpenID Connect Token

JwtParser parser = [Link]().setSigningKey("secret");
Claims claims = [Link](token).getBody();
[Link]("User: " + [Link]());
 API Gateway &
• Security:
API gateways help in managing API security.
• Features: Authentication, rate limiting, request logging.
• Examples: Kong, Apigee, AWS API Gateway.
• API Gateway acts as a reverse proxy and protects backend services.
• API Gateways also perform request/response transformations.
• Load balancing and failover to ensure high availability.
• Custom API policies for IP whitelisting and geolocation blocking.

• Real-world Example: Netflix API Gateway manages thousands of API

requests.

// Configuring Spring Cloud API

Gateway @Bean
public RouteLocator
customRouteLocator(RouteLocatorB
uilder builder) {
return [Link]()
.route(r -> [Link]("/api/**")
.uri("lb://backend-service"))
.build();
 AI & Deep Learning in API
• Security:
Machine learning models analyze API traffic for anomalies.
• Deep learning models predict security threats before they
happen.
• AI-driven fraud detection for API transactions.
• AI models can detect DDoS attacks by analyzing traffic
patterns.
• Self-learning algorithms improve threat detection over
time.
• API anomaly detection helps in identifying unusual access
patterns.

• Example: Google uses AI to detect and block malicious API

access.

// Detecting anomalies using ML

model public class
AnomalyDetector {
API Vulnerabilities & Threats:

• SQL Injection, XSS, API endpoint enumeration, MITM

attacks.
• Unsecured authentication mechanisms leading to data
exposure.
• Case Study: Twitter API vulnerability leading to
unauthorized data access.
• API vulnerability testing should include fuzzing and
penetration tests.
• Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate XSS
attacks.
• Use input sanitization to prevent SQL injection.

// SQL Injection Prevention

String query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = ?";
PreparedStatement stmt = [Link](query);
Advanced Security Mechanishms:

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) & Attribute-Based Access Control

(ABAC).
• End-to-end encryption and Secure API design principles.
• Encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest.
• Implement API versioning to handle changes securely.
• Continuous security audits and API penetration tests.

// Implementing Role-Based Access Control

public boolean isAuthorized(User user, String resource) {
return [Link]().contains("ADMIN") && [Link]("/admin");
}
Best Practices of APIs and API
Governance
Why Are APIs Important?
Seamless Integration: Innovation Driver:
Enable systems and Power mobile apps,
apps to interact SaaS products, IoT
smoothly. devices.

Developer Ecosystem:
Monetization: Encourage third-
Companies like Google party innovation on
and Stripe generate top of platforms.
revenue via APIs.
API Security Best
Practices

Authentication: Use OAuth 2.0 and

JWT
tokens.
Authorization: Enforce scopes and
role-
based access.
HTTPS Only: Ensure encrypted data
in
transit.
Rate Limiting: Prevent abuse and
ensure
fair usage.
• Input Validation: Sanitize all
What is API
Governance?

Definition: API governance

involves enforcing standards,
policies, and procedures to
ensure consistent API
development, deployment, and
maintenance.

Goals:
• Ensure security and compliance
• Maintain consistency across
teams
• Improve developer experience
Principles of API
Governance

Standardization: Uniform naming,

versioning, and error handling.
Lifecycle Management: Policies
across
creation → retirement.
Security Compliance: Adhere to
regulations (GDPR, HIPAA).
Discoverability: APIs are registered
and
searchable.
Monitoring & Auditing: Track usage
and
errors systematically.
 API Lifecycle & Governance Touchpoints

Stage Governance Action

Plan Approve business case and design
blueprint
Design Review against standards and
guidelines
Develop Code review, use of approved tools
Deploy Use of API gateways, CI/CD
enforcement
Operate Monitoring, analytics, support
Standardization & Guidelines

Naming Conventions:
Use nouns (/users, Error Handling: Use
not HTTP status codes Versioning Policy:
+ structured Clear deprecation
/getUsers) and response (400, rules, backward
consistent 401, 404 with compatibility.
casing message).
(camelCase or
snake_case).
 API Gateway: Authentication
Central Layers:
control point Integrate with
(e.g., Identity
Apigee, Providers (IdP).
Kong).

Access Logging: Rate Limiting &

Control & Centralized
logging for
Quotas:
Control traffic
Monitoring observabilit
y.
based on
client plans.

Metrics:
Monitor
latency,
uptime, error
rate.
Compliance & Security Policies

Compliance Security Testing:

Data Privacy: Frameworks: GDPR Audit Trails: Who
OWASP API Top 10
Ensure data (EU), CCPA accessed what
(California), HIPAA –
minimization and and when.
encryption. regular
(Health).
penetration
testing.
Tools and Platforms Function Tools
Apigee, AWS API
API Gateway
Gateway, Kong
Swagger, OpenAPI,
Design & Docs
Stoplight
Testing Postman, SoapUI,
Newman
Monitoring Prometheus, ELK,
Datadog
Security 42Crunch, OWASP ZAP
Scanning
Industry Examples
• Netflix: Open, documented API ecosystem
powering
multiple platforms.
• Stripe: Developer-first design, rich
documentation, strict
versioning.
• Amazon: Mandated internal APIs, sparking
AWS emergence.
Challenges
and Solutions Challenge Solution
Centralized API
Shadow APIs
registry and
discovery portal
Governance council,
Inconsistent style
Standards guides
Security audits, API
Security Gaps
firewalls
Monitoring,
Lack of Visibility
analytics
dashboards
What is API Management?

It is the process of creating, publishing, securing, monitoring, and analyzing APIs in a

scalable
and controlled environment.
Why is it Important? Key Components
✅ Security • API Gateway (routing, throttling,
→ Protect APIs using authentication, rate limiting, load
and balancing)
encryption. • Authentication & Authorization
✅ Scalability (OAuth2, JWT)
→ Handle increasing traffic without crashing the • Rate Limiting & Caching
backend. • API Versioning & Lifecycle
✅ Monitoring & Analytics Management
→ Track usage patterns, errors, and performance • Developer Portal (API
in real documentation,
time. onboarding)
✅ Version Control • Logging & Analytics
→ Manage multiple versions of your API without
breaking clients.
Key Features of API Management
🔁 6. Versioning & Lifecycle
✅ 1. API Gateway Management
• Central entry point for all API requests. • Supports multiple API versions
• Manages traffic, routes requests to backend
(v1,
services. v2, etc.).
🔐 2. Security & Authorization • Helps in smooth transitions
• Supports OAuth2, JWT, API keys.
and backward compatibility.
• Protects APIs from unauthorized access and
misuse.
•🚦Prevents abuse by
3. Rate Limiting controlling the number of requests per
& Throttling
user/IP.
• Helps maintain performance under high load.

◻ 4. Analytics & Monitoring

• Tracks usage stats, error rates, response times.
• Helps identify bottlenecks and unusual activity.

📄 5. Documentation & Developer Portal

• Auto-generates API documentation (Swagger/OpenAPI).
• Provides a developer-friendly interface for onboarding and
Popular API Management Tools
Tool Key Features
- Open-source & lightweight
Kong - Plugin-based architecture
- High performance

- Full API lifecycle management

Apigee (Google) - Built-in security, analytics, monetization

- Seamless with AWS services

AWS API Gateway - Scalable serverless APIs
- Request throttling
- Enterprise-grade security
Azure API Management - Version control
- Developer portals
- Open-source + cloud options
Tyk - API gateway, analytics, security

- Integration platform + API management

MuleSoft - Great for large enterprise systems
 Testing tools

• API testing tools are essential for ensuring the quality and reliability
of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
• These tools facilitate the development, testing, monitoring, and
management of APIs, which are sets of rules and protocols that allow
different software applications to communicate and interact with
each other.
• API testing tools play a crucial role in the software development life cycle
by providing various functionalities to simplify and enhance API-
related tasks.
• Postman:
An API development environment that supports API testing, debugging, and monitoring . It is widely
by developers and testers for creating and managing test cases, automating workflows, and collaborating in
used
teams.

• REST-Assured:
A Java-based tool for testing REST services. It is open-source and focuses functional testing of REST
APIs.
on REST-Assured is particularly useful for developers working in the Java domain.

• Apache JMeter:
An open-source tool designed for load testing and performance measurement of applications. It supports
a wide range of protocols and is highly customizable. JMeter is free and open-source, making it cost-
effective for performance testing.

• SoapUI:
A specialized tool for testing REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs. It offers a user-friendly graphical interface
and supports automated functional, regression, and load tests.
• Apigee:
A fully managed solution for building, managing, and securing APIs. It supports REST, SOAP, and
GraphQL and offers automated API security. Apigee is ideal for managing high-volume and high-value
APIs with enterprise-grade security.
️Tool Q Use Case / Feature
Most popular tool for manual + automated API testing.
Postman GUI-based, great for beginners.
CLI tool to run Postman collections – ideal for CI/CD
Newman pipelines.
Interactive API documentation and testing directly
Swagger UI from OpenAPI specs.
Modern UI, powerful environment variable support,
Insomnia great for REST/GraphQL.

Java-based framework for automated REST API testing

Rest Assured (JUnit/TestNG integration).
Enterprise-level tool supporting both REST and SOAP
SoapUI APIs.
Scriptable performance and load testing tool using
k6 JavaScript.
Lightweight, open-source Postman alternative –
Hoppscotch browser-based.
 📊 Improved Developer Confidence
Why API Testing? • Well-tested APIs boost confidence
in
✅ Ensure API Reliability integration.
• Validate that endpoints return correct • Easier handoffs between backend
responses. and
• Detect issues early before frontend or clients frontend teams.
🔐break.
Security Assurance
• Test for vulnerabilities
like:• Unauthorized
access
• Data leakage
• Insecure protocols
⚡ Performance & Load
• Measure API response time under different
loads.
• Identify bottlenecks and scalability issues.
◻ Regression Prevention
• Ensure changes don’t break existing
functionality.
• Useful for version control and backward
compatibility.