Managing First API Using API Management

This post focuses on managing the first API using API management with Azure API Developer Portal and some of the things I learned along the way.

Before getting started please go through the following articles to gather information about Azure and API Management.

• Introduction to Microsoft Azure
• Working with API management

API management in Azure helps us to publish the APIs internally and externally to manage data. API management provides core instruments to ensure a successful API program that is used for developer engagement, business insights, analytics, security, and protection.

The following are some of the APIs which are provided by vendors to the web

• Twitter API
• Facebook API
• Social Mention API
• Share API
• Bit.ly API

In this post, we are going to use calculator API to perform an arithmetic operation such as addition, multiplication, division, subtraction and so on. To import API, we need a valid API which is configured and published on the internet.

By adding a simple API to our applications and websites then our project has the capability to handle real-time solutions. The following are the steps followed to manage the first API in API Management Developer portal.

Login into Azure Management Portal with valid credentials

Click on All Resources and find your API management account and click on it. From API management overview page click on publisher portal link.

 

Then you will be navigated to your API management dashboard there you will be able to find your name of your organization in publisher portal overview page.

Now click on API's link in publisher portal as shown below.

 

Then click on Import API to import an API from the link which contains JSON file.

 

Now import API window that appears -- this step is very important for configuring an external API using URL. Click on From URL and provide the valid URL under specification document URL and specification format as swagger.

URL for Calculator API management http://calcapi.cloudapp.net/calcapi.json 
Then click New API because here we are going to create a New API from Import URL. Then enter Web API URL suffix as your API name.

 

Then click on the drop down menu which appears under products label and select starter Plan.

All done! Then click on Save button to save the records.

 
Once records are saved you will be navigated to the summary page.

Then open Developer portal and click on APIs option to see the list of APIs that are configured and ready to use.

 

 

Congrats, now our API is available in API windows. So, click on your API and perform an operation.

Now in basic calculator window click on Try it option to perform an arithmetic operation.

 

Then query the parameters for performing an addition operation. Here the query parameters are a and b.

 

Then scroll down and find Send option to send parameters to JSON file via HTTP Request and you receive an output as HTTP response.

 

Finally, we receive an output as Response content and output code is 200 OK.

 

Summary

In this article, we have discussed importing calculator API using Microsoft Azure API management. I hope, you enjoyed reading this article.