An API gateway acts as the heart of an API management solution. The gateway is usually the single entry point in to any system that allows APIs or microservices to work together and in turn provide a uniform experience for the end user.
An important capability of an API gateway is that it secures, protects, manages, and scales API calls. It intercepts API requests and applies policies such as throttling and security using handlers. It is also instrumental in gathering API usage statistics. It passes web service calls to the actual back end after these validation steps. If the incoming web service call is a token request, the gateway directly passes it to the key manager server to handle.
In this customer story, Wells Fargo explores the importance of an API gateway in creating new customer experiences. They successfully front-ended their organizations and systems with public APIs and gateways to accelerate new product and service delivery, as well as speed integrations with business partners. This form of API marketplace is being adopted by digitally driven organizations that are encouraging partners, suppliers, and even customers, to work more closely with their offerings.
