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Advanced Topic 38 of 51 Distributed Systems & Cloud

API Gateway

Single entry point routing and securing API traffic.

How it works

A gateway is the single entry point handling routing, authentication, rate limiting, caching, request aggregation and protocol translation for backend services.

Where it is used

Kong, AWS API Gateway.

Common pitfall

Can become a bottleneck and single point of failure.

Where it fits in the course

API Gateway is topic 38 of 51 in Distributed Systems & Cloud, rated Advanced. It follows Service Discovery. The next topic is Service Mesh.

Practice and explore

How to study this topic

  1. Read the explanation above and restate the definition in your own words.
  2. Open the interactive lesson and answer its mini quiz.
  3. Read the common pitfall, then write a short example that avoids it.
  4. Check your understanding in the Distributed Systems & Cloud quiz, and revisit the topic if you miss a question.

Frequently asked questions

What is API Gateway?
Single entry point routing and securing API traffic. It belongs to Distributed Systems & Cloud and is an advanced-level topic.
Where do people use API Gateway?
Kong, AWS API Gateway.
What is the most common mistake with API Gateway?
Can become a bottleneck and single point of failure.
What should I learn before this topic?
Start with Service Discovery, the topic just before it in Distributed Systems & Cloud.
How can I practice it?
Answer the mini quiz in the interactive lesson, then take the Distributed Systems & Cloud quiz.
Is API Gateway hard to learn?
It is an Advanced topic. Expect to read the explanation more than once and to connect it with earlier topics. Working through a small example by hand helps most.
How long does it take to learn API Gateway?
Most learners can read the explanation and finish the interactive lesson in under an hour. Fluency comes from applying the idea, so plan a few short practice sessions with the quiz.
Which topics are related to API Gateway?
Service Discovery, Service Mesh, Apache Spark are closely connected. The full list is in the related topics section of this page.
What should I study after API Gateway?
Continue with Service Mesh, the next topic in Distributed Systems & Cloud.

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