From Deployment to Management

From Deployment to Management

I have broken out API design and deployment into individual areas, separate from API management. However they are all intertwined and overlap is inevitable, but it is important to understand the overview of API deployment, from framework to gateway and where it fits in with API design and management.

API deployment was born out of SOA and the enterprise, and the API gateways have the longest history in API deployment. But over the last 10 years a wealth of frameworks and scrappier approaches to deploy APIs build on HTTP has evolved considerably.  

After 10 years of evolving API frameworks, and RESTful approaches a new breed of API providers have emerged to provide the next generation of API deployments that will drive mobile apps and the Internet of Things. All of this is making API deployment something anyone can do.

API Evangelist is about educating the masses about the potential of APIs, and understanding API deployment is something that any savvy business person should have a grasp of, even if you won't be getting your hands dirty with the actual execution.

Maybe you have a wealth of data locked up in databases that you need to make available for mobile or tablet apps, and you just don't have the internal resources to design, develop and deploy you APIs. Five years ago, APIs were definitely a purely technical initiative, born out of IT. In 2014 anyone with a little tech curiosity can understand what is possible, and begin to put a plan in place and achieve deployment.

Now you should have a 100K foot view of the world of API deployment, and should now look to understand what is involved with managing an API in the wild.