If you are a frontend developer looking to learn about Apache APISIX, then you are at the right place.

What is Apache APISIX?

Apache APISIX is the first open-source API gateway with a built-in dashboard to access and manage microservices.

Let’s break down that definition.

A microservice is a software architecture for building each part of an application independently without interfering with others.

API (Application Programming Interface) is a part of an application that communicates with other applications by defining acceptable requests and their possible responses. Services can talk to each other using an API, and the frontend can interact with the backend via APIs.

API gateway receives requests from the frontend and retrieves responses from the backend. It creates a simplified experience for the user by streamlining a client’s requests to just one. That reduces the number of times the frontend calls the backend.

Apache APISIX does all of these and even more.

Uses of Apache APISIX?

Apache APISIX intercepts incoming requests and sends them through the API management system, which handles authentication, routing, rate limiting, billing, monitoring, analytics, and security for an application. So developers can focus on building world-class applications.

Why People Use Apache APISIX

A backend application without an API gateway is like an estate without a fence. For security purposes, you will have to fence each house in the estate. But you can save lots of money and time by fencing the whole estate instead.

Apache APISIX is like that fence. It provides your whole application with one-time security, authentication, routing, rate limiting, monitoring, and analytics. That’s one reason why people adopt it.

It is open source. That means that it accepts criticism and suggestion, which improves it.

Finally, it provides plugins and a dashboard to use in addition to the terminal.

Conclusion

Developers use Gateways and Microservices when building robust and scalable applications.

Apache APISIX is doing great with the first open-source gateway. This article introduced you to what it is, its uses, and why it is many people's choice.

Please check out the documentation and blog to get even more information that can enable you to get the best out of it.