Overview
In the 4.26 release (August 2021), we are introducing the Portal Manager and API Catalog feature, that completes the feature set for managing APIs in SnapLogic. You can now publish APIs to an external developer portal, which you can customize with your own branding. Users external to SnapLogic can explore the APIs you build in the SnapLogic platform.
When combined with the existing API Policy Manager, the API Manager and Portal Manager provide capabilities from API development, lifecycle management, and dashboard monitoring. You can create APIs in SnapLogic using your own API specifications, or build them from your Pipelines and SnapLogic assets.
Key Features
- APIM Console: A new UI that allows you to navigate easily through the API development workflow. The API Manager console provides built-in management capabilities for your APIs and a space where developers can create and test their APIs.
- Design First: The /apim space supports the creation of APIs from the Open API Specification (OAS) 2.0. You can design an API based on your specification and then upload a file of it or reference a URL with the specification.
- Versioning: The ability to create multiple versions of an API based using an OAS 2.0 specification. You can modify the specification for your initial API, then create new versions from those modified specification versions.
- Hierarchy Permissions: A comprehensive set of permission types that provides Org admins the ability to define permissions at every level of the hierarchy. As an API developer, you can set permissions on your versions.
- Suite of API Policies: The Manage API Policy wizard that enables you to enable various authorization, authentication, and traffic control policies at the /apim space, API, and Version levels.
- API LifeCycle Management: The capability of publishing APIs to the developer portal. All the actions important to the lifelcy of an API are available, such as unpublishing, re-publishing, deprecating, and retiring your APIs.
- Manage your API Catalog: The Portal Manager is a new console for managing the developer portal for your Org. You can now customize the new Developer Portal with your own branding and URL suffix. The Portal Manager also enables you to view API status on the API Catalog.
- Developer Portal: A page for non-SnapLogic users to explore your APIs. API consumers can search and browse through APIs. Each API provides basic documentation and its specification.
- API Dashboard: The dashboard displays usage and traffic metrics of your APIs. As an Org admin or Pipeline Designer, you can track the popularity of an API or analyze target and response errors to understand how to enhance the API consumer experience.
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Articles in this section
API Management Architecture
API Manager - Design First Workflow
When you import or reference an API specification to the new /apim space, a new API asset is created. The new API comprises a Pipeline that is the scaffolding for the API and the Task used to call it. You can then create versions, add API policies, set permissions, and modify the underlying SnapLogic assets to build the business logic for your API.
Create New API from existing Pipelines and Tasks
You can also create an API in the API Manager Console by referencing existing Projects in Manager. This functionality enables you, as a Pipeline designer, to complete your Pipeline building activity first. The advantage of this approach is taking advantage of your existing SnapLogic infrastructure. You can segment the design and testing activities as you build Pipelines and creates Triggered Tasks from them individually testing and vetting them for production. Once your Pipeline assets are production ready, you can create APIs in the API creation dialog windows in the 4.26 release (August 2021).
Prerequisites
- The API Management - Design First and the API Policy Manager features must be enabled. Contact SnapLogic Support to subscribe to the feature.
- This API Management - Design First feature supports the Open API Specification (OAS) 2.0.
- You should have a good understanding of the SnapLogic Manager and the SnapLogic expression language.
Support and Limitations
- For Cloudplex users, you must set up a load balancer for the API Policy Manager to work. You must use the load balancer URL in your Triggered and Ultra Task endpoints.
- Only one API policy of a type is applicable at a level in the hierarchy.
When you open a Task in an API version, you cannot change it to Scheduled (not visible). Also, the Task dialog window displays the Snaplex, but it cannot be modified.
In Designer, when you open a Pipeline in an API version, the Snaplex selector in the Edit Pipeline dialog window only shows the Snaplex instances from the global shared folder.
In Designer, the asset or account selectors in the Snap dialog window opened from a Pipeline in the API Management - /apim space, only shows assets from the global shared folder, in addition to those in the current version.
- In 4.26, you can change a Snaplex for an API Version if it is unpublished. However, clicking Edit Details from the API > Versions page displays the Server field for selecting another Snaplex, but the field is disabled if the Snaplex is down.
API Management FAQ
What is the difference between API Management and the Native API Manager?
API Management covers all aspects of managing APIs, from creation to testing, deployment, versioning, and sharing it with API consumers. The API Manager console enables you to define and create an API through importing a Swagger specification. You can also create versions and add permissions and policies at the Org/APIM, API, and version levels.
Can I still use the Native API Manager to publish Ultra and Triggered Tasks to the existing Developer Portal?
Yes. However, the Native API Manager will be deprecated in the August 2021 release and replaced by the API Portal Manager, which will be added to the API Management section of the SnapLogic Manager.
How do I enable the API Management Design First feature for the 4.25 release?
In the 4.25 release (May 2021), your Org must have the following subscription features:
- API Management feature to access the Design First features, the API Policy Manager, and the API Dashboard.
- Native API Manager to access the API Policy Manager.
Is the Native API Manager Developer Portal feature supported in the new API Management Design First feature?
No. APIs and versions created through the API Management-Design First approach are not supported in the Native API Developer Portal in the 4.25 release.
Are there plans to add a Developer Portal support to API Management?
Yes. In the August release, we plan to deliver a Developer Portal with equivalent functionality as the existing one in Native API Manager.
Can I still add API policies to projects and Tasks in the next release with API Management Design First?
Yes, you can still add policies at the Org and Project Space levels for your Ultra and Triggered Tasks.
If I have APIs on the Developer Portal published through the Native API Manager, will those APIs be compatible with the Developer Portal in the future?
SnapLogic will work with customers who currently have a Developer Portal to migrate their published APIs to the new Developer Portal that will be available in the 4.26 release. Contact customer support at support@snaplogic.com for further assistance.