Can I just add integrate a developer portal to my ESB? Isn't that basically "API Management"?

 
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Former Community Member
Not applicable

First some definitions (according to me):

API: An endpoint that accepts and responds JSON or XML (not SOAP) over HTTP/s

ESB: A design pattern that implements loose coupling (via location, interface and protocol abstraction) between two applications.

In a lot of cases, ESB products are used to solve an integration problem through configuration or code generation on the south side.

The ESB products focus on building more "adapters" more feature implemented via config. ESB practionners don't care how an exposed service is used, by who etc. as long as a reusability metric is met.

The reason I want to do APIs and not SOA is so I don't repeat some of the mistakes made in the past. Analytics is mandatory. Self-service is important. if you can find an ESB product that does all that, sure. Why not?

ps: Technically, API Managmenent products like Apigee can also be used to implement the ESB pattern 🙂

Not applicable

What you get is an api around the raw, internal facing exposed endpoint. Is that what you want the consumers of the endpoint to see? You probably do not. That is why there are concepts of API products, app keys, documentation, mocking etc. as common patterns for APIs. A dev portal that takes an endpoint and puts it outside the firewall doesn’t achieve most of these. On top of it, API management is about securing the end points, getting visibility, improving the performance, scaling to internet scale etc. You get none of it by putting a pretty dev portal face to your ESB exposed points.

Not applicable

ESB are for SOA which is the era of app to app information exchange. APIs eventhough the acronymn has been there for ages, the current definition is a webservice package with a service plan to different developer needs. The package needs to be easy to develop, scalable, secure and continuously evolve.An overwhelming developer experience is all about self service, quick to understand and quick to consume. All this requires a foundation that puts the user experience to forefront and developer freedom to innovate. As ESB with dev portal will curtail this freedom or bluntly speaking does not give this "love at first sight" experience which is crucial for the popularity and success of the program