Gartner defines the application programming interface (API) management market as the market for software to manage, govern and secure APIs.
APIs modernize IT architectures. They provide context, tools and resources to generative and agentic AI programs and provide access to systems, services, partners and data services. API management tools enable organizations to plan, deploy, secure, operate, version control and retire APIs, regardless of their size, region or industry.
Amazon API Gateway is a software that enables developers to create, publish, maintain, monitor, and secure APIs at any scale. The software allows for the management of REST, HTTP, and WebSocket APIs, supporting the connection of backend services such as AWS Lambda functions, web applications, or other AWS resources. It provides features such as traffic management, authorization and access control, monitoring, and API version management. Amazon API Gateway helps address the business need for scalable API management by facilitating consistent and secure interfaces for applications while enforcing usage limits and collecting analytics for operational insight.
Postman API Platform is a software designed to streamline the process of developing, testing, and managing APIs. The software enables users to create and organize API requests, automate tests, and monitor API performance across development stages. It supports collaborative workspaces, version control, and documentation, allowing teams to establish API workflows and manage configurations efficiently. The software addresses challenges related to API development lifecycle management by offering tools for design, mock servers, automated testing, and analytics. Postman API Platform aims to facilitate seamless integration and communication between different services and applications, assisting organizations in maintaining consistent and reliable APIs for business operations.
Apigee API Management is a software that enables organizations to design, secure, deploy, monitor, and scale application programming interfaces. The software provides tools for API traffic management, security protocols, analytics, and developer engagement, supporting both internal and external API use cases. It assists businesses in managing digital connections between various services and applications, helping them streamline integration, enforce access policies, and gain insights from API analytics. Apigee API Management addresses challenges related to API scalability, reliability, and governance, while aiding in the efficient delivery and operation of digital services.
WSO2 API Manager is a open source, full lifecycle API management and integration solution for designing, developing, publishing, managing, monetizing, and analyzing different APIs. Additionally, developers can create APIs by integrating other APIs and services. WSO2 API Manager provides full lifecycle API management that helps organizations accelerate API development and reuse across legacy, cloud native, and event-driven architectures. WSO2 API Manager runs on-premises, in the cloud, and in hybrid environments, conducting over 60 trillion transactions annually.
Key capabilities include:
- Easily and securely expose APIs to both internal and external consumers.
- Enable design and runtime governance for the entire lifecycle of your APIs.
- Support modern services including REST, GraphQL, and Async API, and integrate your API workflows with your CI/CD pipeline.
- Get business insights and intelligence through APIs.
Microsoft Azure API Management is a software that enables organizations to create, publish, secure, monitor, and analyze application programming interfaces in various environments, including on-premises and cloud. The software facilitates the management of API gateways, supporting API versioning, transformation, and protocol translation to streamline integration with backend systems. It offers features such as traffic control, authentication, authorization, rate limiting, quota enforcement, and caching to enhance API performance and security. Developers can utilize built-in analytics, logging, and developer portals for detailed insight and collaboration. The software addresses business problems related to consistent API exposure, governance, access control, and scaling of digital services while maintaining operational visibility and compliance.
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is an integration software that enables organizations to connect applications, data, and devices across cloud and on-premises environments. The software provides tools for designing, building, and managing APIs, allowing users to create reusable integration assets and seamless data flows between systems. It supports API lifecycle management, data transformation, access control, and real-time integration monitoring. By enabling connectivity between disparate systems, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform addresses challenges related to interoperability, data silos, and scalability, helping businesses streamline operations by simplifying the integration process within complex IT environments.
Axway Amplify API Management is a software designed to facilitate the creation, management, and monitoring of APIs across various environments. The software enables the integration of applications, data, and services by supporting the entire API lifecycle, including design, versioning, deployment, security, and analytics. Axway Amplify API Management provides features for setting access policies, enforcing security protocols, and monitoring API performance through detailed analytics. The software addresses the business need for secure and scalable API management, ensuring consistent governance and access control while supporting collaboration among development teams. Amplify API Management helps organizations optimize the delivery of digital services by providing centralized control over their APIs within hybrid and multi-cloud deployments.
High-performance, cloud-native API gateway that handles routing, authentication, rate limiting, and traffic management for APIs across the enterprise. Built on NGINX, it processes millions of requests with microsecond latency while providing plugins for security, analytics, and transformations.
IBM API Connect is a full lifecycle API management solution that uses an intuitive experience to help consistently create, manage, secure, and socialize APIs. It can be deployed both on-premise and across clouds, and its main features include API development (including REST, GraphQL and other API types), API gateway, API manager, testing, developer portal, developer tooling, and AI gateway.
IBM API Connect has a comprehensive set of API security capabilities, which include DataPower Gateway, authentication, authorization, and policy implementation.
SAP Integration Suite is a software that enables businesses to connect applications, data, processes, and devices across cloud and on-premise environments. The software offers tools for API management, event-driven integration, and data transformation. It helps organizations automate workflows, synchronize data between diverse systems, and extend business processes with prebuilt connectors and adapters. SAP Integration Suite addresses the business problem of integrating heterogeneous IT landscapes, supporting interoperability among various enterprise software solutions. This enhances operational efficiency and reduces manual efforts related to data exchange, thereby facilitating consistent and reliable communication throughout the organization’s digital ecosystem.
The Boomi Enterprise Platform is the trusted and proven enterprise-grade solution to connect applications, data, and APIs across your hybrid multi-cloud landscape with speed and ease.
The Boomi Enterprise Platform is an enterprise-grade solution for connecting applications, data, APIs, and AI agents across cloud, on-premises, and multi-cloud environments. Boomi Integration is commonly used for application connectivity and the platform allows businesses to purchase additional platform services to support the growth of their digital transformation needs including B2B/EDI collaboration, low-code workflow automation, event-driven automation with guaranteed delivery, data synchronization, and simplified API management in a single platform.
Tyk is an API management software designed to facilitate the creation, management, and monitoring of APIs for organizations of varying sizes. This software provides features such as access control, traffic management, analytics, and security for APIs, enabling organizations to configure reliable API gateways and developer portals. Tyk focuses on simplifying the process of deploying APIs and ensures control over usage, rate limiting, authentication, and transformation. The software supports cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployments, offering flexibility to integrate with diverse IT environments. Tyk addresses the need for governing API access and performance, and helps businesses streamline internal and external integrations while maintaining scalability and compliance.
TIBCO Cloud API Management is a software that enables organizations to create, deploy, manage, and secure application programming interfaces across hybrid environments including cloud and on-premises systems. The software provides tools for designing APIs, implementing policies for security and governance, monitoring performance, and analyzing usage data. It supports the development and integration of digital solutions by offering features such as developer portals, version management, and traffic control. TIBCO Cloud API Management addresses the need for consistent and scalable API lifecycle management, helping businesses streamline interoperability among different applications and services within their technology ecosystem.
Gravitee is an API management software designed to support the creation, security, monitoring, and scaling of APIs. The software offers features such as API gateway, access management, and event-driven architecture support. It allows organizations to define API policies, enforce security protocols, and monitor usage and performance metrics. Gravitee enables the implementation of authentication and authorization mechanisms, and provides tools to manage API lifecycles and streamline integrations across cloud and on-premises environments. The software addresses challenges related to API governance, scalability, and observability, helping businesses manage and optimize their API ecosystems efficiently.
Kong Konnect is a unified API platform layer that gives various API Platform stakeholders everything they need to build, run, discover, and govern runtime infrastructure and services across their API, AI, Event streaming, and microservices estates.
SwaggerHub Explore is a software designed to facilitate the exploration and testing of APIs through an intuitive interface. The software allows users to visualize, interact with, and validate API requests and responses, supporting both REST and SOAP protocols. It aims to simplify the process of API discovery and integration by providing mechanisms to inspect endpoints, understand available operations, and preview data exchange without complex setup. SwaggerHub Explore addresses common business challenges related to API adoption and collaboration by reducing barriers to entry for developers and teams seeking to integrate or consume third-party services. The software assists in troubleshooting API behaviors and streamlining workflows associated with application development and integration.
Apollo GraphOS is a cloud-native API orchestration platform that enables teams to connect AI agents and apps to GraphQL and REST APIs, query data from anywhere, and ship new experiences with speed and confidence. The platform includes centralized schema management, federation, collaboration workflows, and governance capabilities such as schema checks, contracts, access control, and auditability to coordinate changes across teams. Integrated observability and performance tooling provide end-to-end traceability, usage analytics, and error and latency insights, helping teams ensure API reliability and optimize their graph in production.
Layer7 API Gateway is a software designed to manage, secure, and streamline the usage of application programming interfaces. It enables organizations to control access to APIs, enforce security policies, and facilitate data transformation between different systems. The software supports authentication, authorization, data encryption, and rate limiting, addressing the business challenge of securing and monitoring API communications in diverse IT environments. Layer7 API Gateway assists enterprises in integrating legacy and modern applications, ensuring visibility and compliance for API traffic across distributed architectures.
Red Hat Integration is a software suite designed to support application integration and data connectivity across hybrid and multicloud environments. The software provides capabilities for connecting applications, services, and data sources, enabling the development, deployment, and management of APIs, event-driven architectures, and enterprise messaging. It features support for cloud-native integration patterns, container orchestration, and scalability, facilitating real-time data sharing and automation across disparate systems. Red Hat Integration addresses business challenges related to interoperability, digital transformation, and efficient process integration by streamlining connectivity between applications and managing integration workflows in complex IT infrastructure.
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Features of API Management
Updated November 2025
Mandatory Features:
Policy management: Provides style enforcement, API mediation, usage limits, throttling and security configurations
API portal: Provides a self-service interface for API consumers to discover and try APIs. An API catalog is necessary for the registration of APIs
API gateway: Provides, or integrates with, gateways for runtime management, security, policy enforcement, throttling, operational control and usage monitoring for APIs
Governance: Manages API versions, access control, publication and operation
Peer Lessons Learned for API Management
Published June 2025
These lessons focuses on the responses to the questions: “If you could start over, what would your organization do differently?” and “What one piece of advice would you give other prospective customers?”