API Gateway
A server that acts as an entry point for all API requests. An API gateway handles routing, authentication, rate limiting, request transformation, and response aggregation — simplifying client interactions with multiple backend services.
Definition
A server that acts as an entry point for all API requests. An API gateway handles routing, authentication, rate limiting, request transformation, and response aggregation — simplifying client interactions with multiple backend services.
Related Terms
Microservices
An architectural style where an application is composed of small, independent services that communicate over a network. Each service is responsible for a specific business capability and can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently.
Modular Monolith
A monolithic application that is internally organized into well-defined, independent modules. This approach combines the operational simplicity of a monolith with the code-level separation of concerns found in microservices.
Event-Driven Architecture
A software architecture pattern where services communicate by producing and consuming events. When something happens, a service publishes an event, and other services react to it. This enables loose coupling and asynchronous processing.
Scalability
The ability of a system to handle increasing amounts of work or to be enlarged to accommodate growth. Scalability can be vertical (more powerful hardware) or horizontal (more instances of the same component).