Top 10 API Management Tools

An Application Programming Interface (API) is an application that, through a standard mode for querying and accessing data, exposes the functionality of another application, allowing it to communicate with other applications and enabling the reuse of services made available which they can thus be composed and dismantled according to need

The APIs thus become an indispensable tool for rapidly delivering the services that the business requires: it is thanks to the APIs, for example, that an enterprise application is easily made available on mobile or, again, that it can be integrated into an extended chain " opening "your applications to suppliers and partners, etc.

We are therefore witnessing a proliferation of APIs which, however, if they are not managed and governed, risk making the application park of each company ungovernable.

Therefore, API management tools have been created to create, govern, and distribute APIs, managing their versioning, availability, and defining their limits of use. The purpose of an API management solution is, therefore, to monitor, optimize, and secure the use of APIs through access control, security policy enforcement, routing, caching, analysis, and monitoring tools.

What is an API? What is it for?

API is the acronym from the English "Application Programming Interface" that translating it into Spanish would be, application programming interface. An API is the set of commands, subroutines, procedures, and functions that allow programmers to create specific programs for some systems.

In other words, it is a set of codes and specifications in order that the applications communicate or interact with others. Simplifying it, a communication system between applications.

As we already told you, the APIs are useful for applications to communicate with each other; this allows for example, that you can share a blog post in your favorite social network. If the APIs did not exist, this would not be possible, or it would be an inaccessible resource.

One of the great advantages of the APIs is that it greatly facilitates the work of the programmers since they do not need to create an entire application from scratch. They can use APIs to integrate the application they are creating with existing ones.

Know About the Top 10 API Management Tools

1. Microsoft Azure

The Microsoft Azure platform enables organizations to run critical applications with a higher price/performance ratio by running them on service platform data centers with a usage-based rate. By using the Microsoft Azure API Management Platform, you will be able to manage all of your APIs in one place. This will provide you with a token, key, and IP filtering functionality to protect your API. You will find information through API analytics.

2. Apigee

Apigee has three cost schemes, i.e. evaluation, team, business and enterprise. The assessment plan is free. The price of an enterprise plan will be based on the product and support options.

Apigee API is for Management Partner Apps, Consumer Apps, Cloud Apps, System of Records, Employee Apps, and IoT. It provides features of security, analysis, operations, run-time monetization, arbitration, surveillance, and developer portal.

Features:

• This solution can be distributed as a proxy, agent, or hybrid solution.
• With Apigee API management solution, developers can develop and distribute applications.
• Developers will be able to use the necessary data and tools to create new cloud-based applications.
• Apigee Analytic provides you with information about API traffic, and you will also be able to measure KPI.

3. MuleSoft  Anypoint Platform

Anypoint Platform ™ is a unified and flexible integration platform that solves the toughest connectivity issues. It allows businesses to transform their business smoothly with API-based connectivity.

The Anypoint platform is developed by MuleSoft, enables organizations to develop a network to connect applications, data, and devices to each other on the cloud or internally. Used by thousands of prestigious companies in all industries, this platform brings many benefits to users.

The Mulesoft Anypoint platform aims to solve connectivity problems between SOAs, SaaS (software as a service) and APIs. It is a unified hybrid integration platform for creating a network of connected applications, data and devices. Its benefits are many. It connects applications, devices and data to the cloud or internally . It is possible to create, launch and analyze services and APIs with ease from a single platform. In the language of Shakespeare, this is called API Management.

Features:

• The platform can launch applications three times faster
• Best tool to increase productivity by up to 300%
• Secure IT assets automatically
• The goal of this platform is to enable businesses to innovate faster, improve their customer experience and outperform their competitors.

4. Dell Boomi Cloud integration platform

Dell Boomi is a 100% native cloud integration platform. Enable businesses to automate business processes and build a connected business through a drag-and-drop interface that requires no computer code. Dell Boomi offers a free plan. It also provides a customized solution according to your requirement through the Integr Serious Integration Plan. A free trial of Dell Boomi API is available for every plan.

Dell Boomi API offers a solution to connect applications and data to any cloud. It can work in any hybrid environment. Dell Boomi API has a large library of connectors help you to connect the apps in any combination.

Dell Boomi Features:

• This will allow you to integrate applications in various combinations eg; You can connect apps in a public cloud or private cloud.
• It supports various integration patterns.
• With Dell Boomi, you will be able to create fast integration.

5. Mashery

Mashery API tool is a free trial of the product for 30 days. There is another scheme which is M / s. Enterprises and pricing details of this scheme are not provided by the company.

Mashery offers a SaaS solution for full life cycle API management. It has API management capabilities for internal APIs, B2B APIs and public API programs.

Features:

• This API will provide the work of manufacturing, testing, packaging and management.
• Developer portals
• API analytics
• On-premises API gateway is available for API protection.

6. 3scale

3scale provides an out-of-the-box API solution-enabling management Tech Startups, SMBs, and Fortune500 to securely distribute, operate, manage and monetize their APIs to 3rd parties (eg Internal Gold) external developers, business partners, etc.). API providers benefit with 3scale of a single suite of services. 3scale is an API management tool by Red Hat Software. Managing internal and external users with 3scale will be easy. This will allow you to share, secure, distribute, control and monetize your API.

3scale Features:

• It has an API program tool that features Access Control, Analytics, Rate Limit, Security, Dashboard etc.
• There are several options for traffic control such as Open Source Gateway, Hosted Cloud Service, Plugins, CDN Options etc.

7. IBM Bluemix API

Bluemix is IBM's service in the cloud. It allows developers and companies the creation, deployment, and administration of applications of all kinds in the cloud. And it's based on Cloud Foundry, an open source PaaS platform (Platform As a Service). Regarding the development frameworks used, Cloud Foundry supports Java, Spring, Ruby, and Node.js programmers, on the application service it has compatibility with MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Redis or RabbitMQ databases and on the service in the cloud is completely open (it is possible to have a public or private cloud service).

All the control of the infrastructure in Bluemix is done through an API, with more than 3,000 documented methods and more than 180 different services: recovery of account information, inventories or DNS systems are three examples. It supports protocols of all kinds: SOAP, REST, or XML-RPC. And professionals in programming languages such as C #, Perl, PHP, Python or Ruby.

Features:

• IBM Bluemix API provides automated, model-driven tools for manufacturing.
• For API and data security, it provides traffic management and built-in security features.
• Self-service Developer Portal will empower developers
• Analysts on IBM Bluemix API usage can be available to IBM Bluemix  API providers as well as to consumers.
• IBM Bluemix offer testing and monitoring without coding.
• It offers Multi-cloud support for deployment of components at Docker, AWS, Azure, IBM Cloud Pvt etc.

8. Funnel Advertising Data Analysis Platform for Online Marketers

Automate your marketing reports and have an up-to-date dashboard with all your advertising and conversion data. Integrations in all advertising platforms.

Funnel.io is a tool that extracts cost data from all advertising channels where you spend money and connects it to objectives and transactions. Automation of this process can save several hours of manual data collection and Excel processing but returns more critical in advertising costs.

By using Funnel, you can analyze your advertising expenses correctly and swiftly, all from one place. This tool allows you to make better decisions regarding advertising expenses and save time and effort that can be channeled or engaged in other relevant issues or concerns.

Features:

• Overview and control of advertising expenses
• Advertising account organization
• Cross-channel analytics
• Integrated with Google Analytics Advertising Data
• Automatic data synchronization
• Practical report
• Customizable dashboard
• Automatic currency conversion
• Custom metrics
• Excel report
• URL auto tagging
• Ad data csv upload

9. Cloud Elements

Cloud Elements is an API integration platform aim, designed to connect SaaS and digital enterprise with the apps used by your customers and partners. It is used to connect uneven data sources and services using hubs and elements.

Cloud Elements is one of the best API management and integration tools that offers over 115 predefined integrations such as uniform API. Its integrations are organized into 'API Hubs' or service categories. Each category can be accessed through the Cloud Elements API, which reduces the amount of time you spend creating integrations. In addition, you can use API Hubs to offer an integration market to your customers or to add data internally.

Features:

• 100% API-based, no proprietary IDE
• API version and change management
• Data mapping and transformations
• Application programming interface based workflows and reusable workflow templates
• Real-time notifications & Online application integration

10. Maestro PMS

Maestro PMS is a cloud-based or on-premises property and hotel management solution that meets the needs of web-booking, check-in, yield management, work order, multi-functional areas with 20 feature modules, resorts and conference centers in sales Is designed to be, Subscriptions, analytics and much more.

Maestro PMS is a secure and scalable online budgeting and planning software for small and medium-sized companies with limited IT resources. Maestro PMS provides an automated software solution for growing companies that need sophisticated financial tools to make better decisions.

Features:

• Child management by parent / respondent
• Simplified attendance by day, week or month: one click to record the presence of a child at a given time
• Copy of a typical week on the school year or any other period
• Management of closing days, holidays
• Differentiated pricing per child (eg discount for a second child of the same family)
• Sending communication to respondents / parents by email
• Data History
• No limit on the number of children, attendance or invoices registered in the program
• Unlimited number of users
• Access to the program by Login AND Password required
• 3 possible user profiles: Consultation, Entry or Administration
• Multi-user access
• Simplified search: just enter the beginning of a first name to find a child; same for invoices with a number or a date
• Ability to use complex filters to print specific lists
• Management of single groups attributable to children

Conclusion

We have seen top commercial as well as open open source API management tools in this article. Apigee has the best monetization tools in it. 3scale is best for your developer portal. Dell Boomi offers the best life cycle management tools. Mashery is an open source API management tool.

Free plans are available with Microsoft Azure and Dell Boomi has a consumption plan that offers a million calls for free. IBM has a light plan which offers 50K calls free each month. The free trial of the product is available with MuleSoft, CA Technologies, Mashery, Akana and 3scale.

About the Author:

APISecurity.io is one of the leading community websites for all things related to API security. The website offers Daily News, and Weekly API Security Newspapers cover the latest violations, weaknesses, standards, best practices, rules, and technology.  API Security Encyclopedia offers details on possible security issues in contracts and how to remediate them again, and API Security tool helps you to evaluate how secure the API you are working on is actually safe.