Custom API Gateway
A custom API gateway is a self-built or tailored middleware component that acts as a single entry point for managing, routing, and securing API requests between clients and backend services. It typically handles functions like authentication, rate limiting, logging, and request/response transformation. Unlike off-the-shelf solutions, it is developed in-house to meet specific organizational or technical requirements.
Developers should consider building a custom API gateway when they need fine-grained control over API management that commercial solutions cannot provide, such as unique routing logic, integration with proprietary systems, or compliance with specific security protocols. It is particularly useful in microservices architectures to decouple client interactions from service implementations, enabling centralized monitoring and policy enforcement across diverse backend services.