Glossary Terms Starting with A

API Definition

API Definition is the formal description of an API’s available operations, data models, parameters, responses, security, and protocol details. It is used…

API Deprecation

API Deprecation is the managed status indicating that an API operation, field, version, or behavior remains available temporarily but is scheduled for…

API Documentation

API Documentation is the technical material that explains how developers authenticate, call, test, operate, and troubleshoot an API. It is used to…

API Endpoint

An API endpoint is a specific address or operation through which a client accesses a defined resource or capability exposed by an…

API Error

API Error is a failure result indicating that an API request could not be accepted, processed, authorized, or completed as expected. It…

API Error Object

API Error Object is the structured response body that communicates machine-readable details about an API failure. It is used to let clients…

API Error Rate

API Error Rate is the proportion of API requests that result in defined error outcomes during a stated period and population. It…

API Explorer

API Explorer is a browsable interface that organizes API operations, parameters, schemas, examples, and often interactive request testing. It is used to…

API Failover

API Failover is the controlled switch of API traffic from an unhealthy primary endpoint or provider to an alternate path. It is…

API Gateway

API Gateway is an intermediary service that receives API traffic and applies routing, authentication, policy, transformation, rate limiting, or observability before forwarding…

API Integration

API Integration is the implementation that connects one system to another through API calls, events, and shared operational rules. It is used…

API Inventory

An API Inventory is an authoritative catalog of APIs, endpoints, versions, owners, environments, consumers, data classifications, dependencies, authentication methods, and operational status.…

API Key

An API key is a value presented with a request to identify a calling application, authorize limited access, or apply usage policy.…

API Key Rotation

API Key Rotation is the controlled replacement of an API key with a new key before or after the old credential becomes…

API Latency

API Latency is the elapsed time between starting an API request and receiving the defined response outcome. It is used to measure…

API Lifecycle

API Lifecycle is the managed sequence through which an API is proposed, designed, implemented, tested, released, operated, changed, deprecated, and retired. It…

API Log

API Log is a recorded event describing an API request, response, security decision, or processing step for operations, debugging, and audit. It…

API Marketplace

An API marketplace is a platform where API providers publish offerings and consumers discover, evaluate, subscribe to, and sometimes pay for access.…

API Migration

API Migration is the planned change by which a consumer moves from one API version, operation, provider, or contract to another. It…

API Mock

API Mock is a simulated API implementation that returns controlled responses without invoking the real backend. It is used to support early…

API Monitoring

API Monitoring is the continuous measurement and evaluation of API availability, latency, errors, traffic, security signals, and business-critical outcomes. It is used…

API Pagination

API Pagination is the method an API uses to divide a large result set into smaller pages that clients retrieve over multiple…

API Path

API Path is the portion of an API URL that identifies a resource or operation relative to the base URL. It is…

API Performance

API Performance is the overall ability of an API to meet workload, responsiveness, throughput, resource, and reliability expectations. It is used to…