Introduction to Apiable
Apiable stands out as the sole API portal platform that enables businesses to swiftly build, monetize, and deliver API products tailored to the needs of API consumers. Its core function is to streamline and expedite the process of turning APIs into products designed for each API consumer.
API portals are the primary mechanism for business managers and developers to discover and consume APIs.
Who uses Apiable?
Fundamentally, Apiable is used by API Providers who design and create APIs and API Consumers who use those APIs.
API Providers:
An API Provider is an entity (typically a company or an organization) that develops and offers APIs to other developers, businesses, or directly to consumers.
API Providers are responsible for maintaining the API's reliability, security, and performance while managing its lifecycle, including versioning, documentation, and user support.
By offering APIs, providers can extend the reach of their services or data, facilitate innovation, and create new opportunities for collaboration and monetization within the digital ecosystem.
API Consumers:
An API Consumer is any individual, developer, or organization that uses APIs to enhance its software, applications, or services.
API Consumers integrate these APIs into their projects to access specific functionalities, data, or processes without developing those components from scratch. This can range from adding payment systems and mapping services to fetching real-time data for various applications.
By leveraging APIs, consumers can significantly accelerate development timelines, innovate their offerings, and ensure their services remain competitive and relevant in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Key Challenges
API Providers: API Adoption, getting customers, partners, and their developers to use your APIs.
API Consumers: Understanding which API they should use to satisfy their use case, getting fast access, and being able to try out the API to ensure it's a good fit.
Benefits of Using Apiable
Streamlined API Consumer Journey: Apiable enhances the experience of discovering, understanding, and registering to use APIs. It facilitates the provision of secure API credentials, ensuring a secure pathway from the initial API discovery to the actual operation of API-consuming applications. The platform simplifies the onboarding process with self-service access and enables efficient management of consumer teams. Additionally, it offers an internal API catalog, allowing your organization to organize and categorize your APIs effectively and aggregate them into a unified API portal for easier access and management.
API as Marketable Products: With Apiable, you can transform your APIs into marketable products, ensuring they meet the specific needs of your intended audience, whether they're internal teams, external partners, or customers. The platform features an API Product Catalog, which aids consumers in recognizing the value your APIs deliver. Enhanced with an advanced search function, it streamlines the signup process and subscription approval flows, making it straightforward for users to find and engage with your API products.
Customization at Your Fingertips: Apiable provides extensive customization options for your API portal, including theming and content management. This lets you modify the page structure to perfectly fit your brand and user needs. This level of customization ensures that your API portal functions effectively and aligns with your organizational identity and user expectations.
Seamless Integration across API Gateways: The platform boasts deep integration capabilities with API management tools and CI/CD processes, facilitating a smoother development workflow across your API gateways. This integration supports a more efficient development cycle, ensuring your API products are always up-to-date, secure, and ready to meet consumers' demands.
Key Features
API Portal
Leverage the Administration Dashboard to build custom API Portals for your APIs' public and internal facing components. These portals can be tailored to match your organization's branding and design preferences, providing a professional appearance to API consumers.
API Product Development
Apiable facilitates the development of API Products, encompassing everything from initial creation to version management and documentation. It provides a streamlined process for collating API endpoints, setting up access controls, and publishing comprehensive documentation to assist business managers and developers consume the APIs.
API Gateway Integration
Apiable integrates directly into your existing API Gateway. Once integrated, you will have access to all the APIs on that gateway. You can then use these within your API products and plans. The Apiable API catalog is available for Enterprise customers who need an overview of their API and Microservice landscape.
For more information on why Apiable requires you to connect your APIs via an API Gateway, please visit: Why do I need an API Gateway?
API Monetization
Generate revenue from your APIs with Apiable Monetization. This feature supports monetization models, including subscription-based access, pay-per-use, and tiered pricing strategies. It provides the tools needed to set up pricing plans, manage subscriptions, and handle billing and payments directly within the platform, making it easier to transform your APIs into profitable business assets.
API Analytics
Apiable offers in-depth analytics and reporting capabilities, giving valuable insights into API usage, performance, and consumer behavior. With API Analytics, users can track API calls, monitor response times, and analyze traffic patterns to identify trends, potential bottlenecks, or areas for optimization. This data is instrumental in making informed decisions to improve API products and tailor them more closely to API consumers' needs.
Getting Started
Once you have your new API Portal, we recommend you style your portal to match your organization's brand guidelines. When you have the portal looking the way you want it, connect an API gateway. This will allow you to create an API Product and add APIs to a Plan. Three steps to get started:
Pro tip: You can restrict access to your new portal while working on it. Navigate to Settings > Portal Settings > Security and turn on Password Protection.
Tip: If you need help getting started, check out our help center. If you are still stuck, feel free to contact us using the intercom chat button at the lower right of your screen.