Systems | Development | Analytics | API | Testing

December 2023

Featured Post

DBA, The Key to Improving Security and CX Without Compromise

Today's consumers demand Amazon-like digital banking experiences. However, striking the right balance between customer experience and security remains an arduous challenge for banks. A consequence of user-driven authentication mechanisms is that a better customer experience usually comes at the expense of robust security measures. Contributing to the challenge is the fact that the majority of banks today rely on user-driven customer identity and access management (CIAM) systems. This requires customers to provide information each time verification is needed.

SQL Server Stored Procedures: Best REST API Calls for Data Integration

System administrators, DBAs, and application developers all know about the need for data integration. That’s when you have to pull data from one database, application, or web service to another. Fortunately, this task is a lot less challenging than it used to be because APIs (application programming interfaces) are so popular today. APIs provide a standard way to share the data and services of one system with another, even if the two systems are otherwise incompatible.

Hand-Coding an API vs. Auto Generating an API | A Comparison

Are you thinking about hand-coding an API? You have the perfect application in mind. It has an attractive UI and achieves everything the customer wants. However, it needs to connect with a Microsoft SQL Server database, so you have to start working on the data model and API. Hand coding APIs offers greater customization and control but is time-intensive, whereas API generation provides a faster, more streamlined approach with automated tools, albeit with less flexibility.

Top 7 API Generation Tools

While APIs are powerful tools, creating them from scratch can be a complex and time-consuming process. Fortunately, the advent of API generation tools has revolutionized this aspect of software development, enabling developers to automate and expedite the API creation process. In this blog post, we will explore some of the top API generation tools available today, each offering unique approaches to simplify and accelerate API creation.

Layered Security Strategy for Managing APIs

This post is part of a series on becoming a secure API-first company. For a deeper dive, check out the eBook Leading Digital Transformation: Best Practices for Becoming a Secure API-First Company. As APIs have become mission-critical, securing them against threats is crucial. APIs are an attractive target for attackers, and a single vulnerability can expose an organization's most sensitive information assets. To properly secure APIs, we have to move beyond basic perimeter defenses.

Strategies for Effective Rest #APITesting | Júlio de Lima | #restapi #softwaretesting

Dive into the world of Rest API testing with Júlio de Lima as he unveils the 'Need, Importance, and Strategies for Effective Rest API Testing.' In this insightful video, Júlio emphasizes the critical importance of testing Rest APIs and explores alternative approaches to enhance the thoroughness of your testing strategy. Join him as he demonstrates the practical implementation of various tools and libraries, providing valuable insights into effective Rest API testing.

What is Apigee API: How Does It Work?

APIs play a crucial role in SaaS product’s ability to communicate with internal and external applications. APIs have revolutionized the ways in which applications communicate, exchange data, and how software developers and providers structure their systems and products. But managing the large flow of data and information while ensuring data protection and minimal downtime is no easy task.

The Best On-Premises Software Options for Businesses

On-premises software is stored on local machines, such as desktop computers or servers, so people connected to a network can access critical features. Within an enterprise context, on-premises software almost exclusively exists on on-site servers that multiple employees can access. You might already know that many business leaders want to embrace cloud strategies.

Webhooks vs APIs : The Differences Between Them

As the connecting blocks of modern data communication, webhooks and APIs play pivotal roles, yet their distinctions are often blurred. Delving into their underlying mechanisms, functionalities, and use cases, after this blog post you will fully master the difference between webhooks and APIs. By unraveling the intricacies of these technologies, this explorative post serves as a resource for anyone looking to navigate their landscape of data integration and communication protocols.

What is an API Developer Portal? The Ultimate Guide

The heart of SaaS innovation in the modern era is API technology, connecting one digital tool to another seamlessly. As APIs have taken center stage, the term “API Developer Portal” has become more than just a buzzword—it’s a crucial element in the realm of software development and the easiest way to ensure seamless connectivity.

Kong Konnect the World: Seamless Global and Serverless Deployments Powered by Koyeb

Kong Konnect is an API lifecycle management platform streamlining the connectivity between your APIs and microservices. The control plane is hosted in the cloud by Kong and available across the US, EU, and AU, while the data plane is managed by you within your preferred network environment, like Koyeb.

Graphql vs Rest: A Comprehensive Comparison

The conversation around data fetching and API management is increasingly dominated by two major players: GraphQL and REST. These technologies, while serving the same purpose of facilitating communication between client and server, offer markedly different approaches and philosophies. GraphQL, emerging as a powerful alternative to the traditional RESTful architecture, brings a new dimension to data retrieval efficiency and flexibility.

REST API with Node.js

REST is a powerful and ubiquitous paradigm for web application development. It offers huge benefits that can help any service be more efficient, more extensible, and more scalable. Node.js is a popular solution for building fast, efficient, and scalable APIs. It is highly extensible, offering an ecosystem of packages that deliver fast and unified development.

Introducing Choreo Marketplace and Connections

An API-first approach has become a key driver for innovation and agility in modern software development. Through this, businesses can accelerate development cycles, and create powerful, interconnected applications that meet the evolving needs of users and markets. As part of our commitment to empowering enterprises on their API-first journey, our team at Choreo is thrilled to announce the introduction of two new features – Choreo Marketplace and Connections.

Creating Python APIs

REST is an incredibly powerful solution for web APIs in the modern space. It offers a wide array of benefits that can help any service be more efficient, faster to iterate, and more stable. Python is a strong, high-level language that unlocks a high level of functionality across broad categories of systems and devices. It is human-readable, highly efficient, and widely adopted. These two technologies, when combined, can deliver an incredible product in the API space.

Moesif <> KrakenD: Performant API Analytics and Monetization

When it comes to performant API gateways, KrakenD tends to be a name that many come across in their search. With some pretty impressive benchmarks, the team at KrakenD has put performance at the forefront of their efforts. In the latest release of KrakenD Enterprise, there’s also been another focus: analytics and monetization. Because of this focus, we are excited to announce our partnership to bring these capabilities via Moesif to the KrakenD Enterprise platform with their v2.5 release.

Moesif <> Zuplo: API Observability and Monetization At The Edge

When it comes to supporting the latest tech, here at Moesif, we always aim to integrate with partners that offer something new and exciting. In the API gateway space, Zuplo has been quickly changing the game regarding platforms focused on developers and performance. Similar to the work we’ve focused on for the last few years, Zuplo customers have also been focused on understanding their APIs better and learning how to monetize them efficiently.

Implementing API Analytics with Java

There are few technologies as ubiquitous – and crucial for business success – as APIs. APIs connect different software systems together, forming a common language that allows for substantial portability, scalability, and extensibility. What is just as important as the systems themselves is understanding the systems and discovering insights about their usage.

What is Apigee: A Comprehensive Overview

In the SaaS world, APIs are incredibly important for both internal and external communication. They serve as the enabler for seamless communication between different applications and products, enabling businesses to innovate, scale, and deliver exceptional products. Among various API management platforms, Apigee stands out as a powerful and comprehensive solution, empowering enterprises to harness and disseminate the full potential of their APIs.

Show and Tell: Discover the Benefits SmartBear's Open-Source Tools Bring to the SDLC

Open-source tooling can be incredibly helpful in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). They offer flexibility, a wide range of features, and often community support too. Watch this session to explore SmartBear’s industry-leading open-source tools (Swagger, SoapUI, Pact, and more) on how to streamline your development process to create a more tailored developer experience.

Announcing Standard Webhooks

We're pleased to announce the launch of Standard Webhooks! Kong has been part of the Technical Committee of this standard with other great companies like Svix (the initiator of the project), Ngrok, Zapier, Twillio, Lob, Mux, and Supabase. This was a year-long effort of gathering feedback, use cases, and debating about what and how to define what landed. Standard Webhooks is one initiative to standardize the way producers and consumers can have a contract to communicate.

Kong Gateway 3.5 Updates & WASM Support

We are thrilled to share with you the updates from the Kong Gateway 3.5 release! You will find a ton of new features, anchored by improvements across observability, security posture, performance, and deVx. Observability: Security: Performance: DevEx: We will also talk about the improvements in WebAssembly support in Kong Gateway 3.5. Since our initial release in 3.4, we’ve taken your feedback to heart and made various changes and improvements to both the back-end implementation of this feature and the end-user experience.

How Your API Strategy Is Fundamental to Any Data Mesh Strategy

The data mesh approach has gained popularity over the last couple of years as organizations look for reliable ways to break down data silos. At first, data lakes looked like a good way to improve data management and make information more discoverable. Unfortunately, data lakes — and data warehouses — don’t always conform to business needs. They’re often slow and even unresponsive to queries. Potentially even worse, they can still lead to data silos.

10 Best API Management Tools

Jeremy H - December 11, 2023 Modern application development and IT infrastructure depend heavily on the use of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and API Management. APIs offer a standard set of rules for systems and applications to connect and interact. Whether you are integrating a new application into an IT infrastructure or connecting the modular components of a microservices-based application, APIs are one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to establish those connections.

How to Secure Your PostgreSQL Database | 5 Actionable Tips

If your business deals in large volumes of data, chances are that you are at least somewhat familiar with PostgreSQL, or you may use it actively in your data management strategy. PostgreSQL is a powerful relational database system, and it is completely open source. As of 2019, PostgreSQL was the second-most-common database solution for professionals. Thirty-four percent of more than 75,000 Respondents reported that it was their first choice.

Microservices Trends: The Top 4 Trends That Will Shape Microservices Development

Microservices architecture has emerged as a popular approach for developing software applications in recent years. Instead of building monolithic applications, microservices architecture involves breaking down an application into smaller, independent services that can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. This approach offers a number of benefits, including increased flexibility, better scalability, and improved fault tolerance.

Apigee API Gateway: Everything You Need to Know

The Apigee API Gateway is a tool that enables the management, analysis, and security of APIs. This API gateway enables organizations to optimize their digital ecosystems and deploy user-friendly products. It is particularly valuable for developers, IT professionals, and SaaS businesses interested in enhancing their API infrastructure, streamlining development workflows, and ensuring secure and seamless connectivity.

Logging API Calls in Moesif from Logstash Using the HTTP Output Plugin

One of the main value propositions of the Moesif product is the fact that it works so well with a wide variety of tools. One such tool – Logstash – is an incredibly powerful solution for managing events and logs. Understanding how to pull Logstash logs into Moesif is a critical function for any business utilizing Logstash at scale. Today, we’re going to look at how to log API calls from Logstash using the HTTP Output plugin for import into Moesif.

Secure Your APIs Now: Live Demonstration of API Security Testing | Mukund Zalke | #APITesting

In this comprehensive tutorial, Mukund Zalke demonstrates the ins and outs of API security testing, covering essential aspects that every tester and developer should be well-versed in. Mukund delves into the OWASP API Security Top 10, shedding light on critical vulnerabilities that need attention in API security. The session includes practical demonstrations of various API security vulnerabilities, offering real-world examples to deepen understanding. Mukund not only identifies potential risks but also showcases effective API security testing tools and best practices.

Let's Go AWS! The Kong Konnect EKS Marketplace Add-on for Kong Gateway Dataplanes is Ready to Go

Today, we’re excited to release the Kong Konnect EKS Marketplace add-on as a means to deploy your Kong Gateway dataplanes in AWS. The add-ons are a step forward in providing fully managed Kubernetes clusters. It is here to simplify the post-procurement process of bootstrapping Kong Konnect gateway data planes, avoid context switching among tools during the installation process, and provide notifications when a new version of Kong Gateway is available, making upgrades seamless.

Gateway API: What's Next After GA

With the recent general availability (GA) release of Gateway API, a key building block for Kubernetes ingress is now stable and ready for production use. However, the GA milestone is just the beginning. There are many new capabilities and enhancements planned for Gateway API that will make it even more powerful and flexible. In this webinar, we will look at what's coming next for Gateway API and how the project plans to evolve.

Choosing Billing Metrics in Apigee vs. Moesif

Perhaps the most important part of any monetization strategy is the effective selection of API billing metrics. Billing metrics form the backbone of your monetization strategy, and giving ample thought to what – and how – to monetize will pay long-term dividends both in economic terms as well as management ones. Today, we’re going to look at what API billing metrics actually are, and how they related to your long-term monetization strategy.

Internal API Security Measures: Protecting Your Infrastructure

The rapid development and deployment of software applications largely rely on the power of APIs. These Application Programming Interfaces act as the glue holding together various components, enabling efficient communication and data exchange between them. From mobile apps to web services and enterprise systems, APIs are ubiquitous, playing a critical role in the seamless functioning of modern software architecture – but its important to take internal API security risks seriously.

An Introduction to REST API with Python

REST API is an acronym that stands for Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface. REST APIs are used to create "web services" in HTTP requests, which provide data between client and server applications. This article will cover some of the basics of REST APIs and will also walk you through making a basic API using Python. Here are the 5 key takeaways from the article.

2023 in the Rearview Mirror: A Joyful Trip Down Memory Lane and the Exciting Road Ahead

As the year comes to an end, we at SmartBear are thrilled to share some exciting news and milestones we have achieved in 2023. From being recognized as a Visionary in the 2023 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for API Management to launching our integrated tools, we’ve been dedicated to delivering industry-leading solutions for developers and organizations. In this end-of-year blog, we will highlight our accomplishments, discuss our commitment to innovation, and look forward to what lies ahead.

Best Practices for Naming REST API Endpoints

Terence Bennett - December 5, 2023 REST APIs are a powerful tool to bring together multiple applications. While REST APIs are extremely useful, creating and deploying them into production is a highly complex and time-consuming process. If you’re building your own REST API, you should be familiar with some of the industry best practices for naming REST API endpoints. For many developers, using a development platform is a good way to get started.

Understanding the Connection Between Databases and APIs

Spencer Nguyen - December 5, 2023 Worldwide government IT spending is forecast to total $589.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 7.6% from 2022, according to Gartner, Inc. As technology integration becomes more prevalent in society, the government, organizations, and businesses must begin the process of digital transformation. When it comes to successful digital transformations, APIs and databases are at the core.

Top 10 API Integration Platforms

Jeremy H - December 5, 2023 In today’s highly connected digital world, businesses need to integrate with various applications and services to streamline operations and improve customer experience. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) play a vital role in enabling this integration by allowing different software systems to communicate and share data. API integration platforms are the key to maximizing the potential of your APIs.

API Governance: Charting the Path to Success with Frank Kilcommins

As we dive into the ever-evolving realm of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), we discover a critical component in the digital landscape. APIs have transcended their role as mere technological connectors, transforming into strategic assets that drive the modern digital economy. Ensuring effective API governance is becoming increasingly vital to guarantee consistent, secure, and scalable development.

Adding a Free Trial to Your API Monetization Model

When monetizing APIs, specific ways exist to entice customers to begin using your services. Much of the time, users like to see some value before they commit to becoming a full-blown paid customer. One of the most popular billing providers we see used for API monetization is Stripe, and thankfully, Stripe supports free trial models. Paired with Moesif, you can easily adhere to what model you require to support your API monetization needs.

Ready, Set, Grow AI Apps

Commercializing an AI-based product requires turning technology into a marketable product, navigating challenges from development to market entry. Appealing to enterprise buyers is crucial for sustainable, continuous growth, as their interest not only validates your product’s value but also lays the foundation for long-term success and scalability. More specifically, the larger the businesses of your potential customers are, the more of a monopoly your product likely has in the market.

Django REST API Tutorial: The Ultimate Guide

Are you ready to start exploring the world of API development with Django? In this tutorial, we will begin an exploration of how to leverage Django together with the Django REST framework, a robust and versatile framework for creating efficient and scalable APIs. This guide is designed to provide you with a clear and structured approach to Django REST API, ensuring that both beginners and experienced developers can navigate and utilize this powerful tool with ease.

What Is Product-Led Growth and Why Is It Critical for AI Dev Tool Companies?

The misconception that product led growth implies a business neglects sales couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, product led growth (PLG) involves integrating sales later in the customer journey, placing the purchasing power back in the hands of your users. This self-service approach is highly effective, especially when paired with insightful user data to streamline and target growth. For AI-centric companies, this product-led strategy serves as a fundamental pillar for success.