API management is the process of creating, publishing, and managing web application programming interfaces (APIs) . It involves enforcing usage policies, controlling access, nurturing the subscriber community, collecting and analyzing usage statistics, and reporting on performance. API management platforms provide a robust set of software and processes to support all stages of an APIs lifecycle. The following are some of the key components of API management:

• Gateway: A collection of tools that API providers use to define APIs, generate API documentation, govern API usage through access and usage policies, test and debug the execution of API, including security testing and automated generation of tests and test suites, deploy APIs into production, staging, and quality assurance environments, and coordinate the overall API lifecycle.

• Developer portal/API store: This is a marketplace for APIs, where users can subscribe to APIs, obtain support from users and the community, and more. It also provides functionality for developers to easily discover and use APIs, while enabling organizations to control access, analyze usage, and enforce security and governance policies of APIs.

• API analytics: API management allows users to monitor API usage, load, transaction logs, historical data, and other metrics that better inform the status as well as the success of the APIs available.

API management is becoming increasingly important due to the growing dependence on APIs and the administrative complexities they introduce. API management software is designed and built to make API design, deployment, and maintenance easier and more efficient.