API Gateway
An API Gateway is a server that acts as an entry point for client requests to backend services, handling tasks like request routing, composition, and protocol translation. It provides a centralized layer for managing APIs, including security, monitoring, rate limiting, and caching. This simplifies client interactions and offloads common functionality from individual microservices.
Developers should use an API Gateway when building microservices architectures or exposing APIs to external clients, as it centralizes cross-cutting concerns like authentication, logging, and throttling. It's essential for managing API traffic efficiently, improving security by enforcing policies, and enabling features like versioning and monetization in enterprise applications.