API as a Service (APIaaS) streamlines the creation and management of APIs in a cloud-based environment. If your enterprise is planning a digital transformation strategy or in the process of migrating to the cloud, you’ve probably heard the terms “microservices” and “APIs.” However, as common as these words are, few people actually understand them unless they’re working as developers. To clear the confusion once and for all, we wrote this guide.

API calls are requests made by one software application to another. There are various types of API calls. Different protocols and interfaces are available to designers who want applications to ‘talk’ to each other. In this guide, learn about the different types of API calls and how DreamFactory can improve API management in your organization. Here’s the key things to know about the different types of API Calls: Table of Contents.

Today, we’re looking at MySQL vs MS SQL Server. Relational database management systems (RDBMS) form the backbone of enterprise IT. Data-driven business intelligence, analytics, and reporting workloads simply couldn’t exist without the support of a high-powered, high-performance relational database. Good databases can bring your enterprise IT to the next level—while bad databases can bring it to its knees.

The ability to process and analyze information in real-time is more than just an advantage—it’s a necessity. SAP HANA, with its in-memory technology, has emerged as a leader in this domain, offering businesses unparalleled speed and agility in data analytics. However, as powerful as SAP HANA is, maximizing its potential often requires seamless integration with other platforms and applications. Enter DreamFactory: an open-source API generation platform designed to connect the dots.

API gateway authentication is one of the key functions of an API gateway. In carrying out this function, the API gateway manages authentication and authorization for the entire group of APIs that sit behind it. In this way, API gateway authentication safeguards your systems and information against unwanted access, data breaches, hacks, and mistakes. While the basic premise of API gateway authentication is easy enough to grasp, this guide offers a more nuanced understanding of the concept.

An API ecosystem refers to the interconnected network of applications, services, and APIs that collaborate to enable data exchange, functionality, and interactions between various software components. An API connects all the software developments so they can work together. Developers can connect apps that don’t normally work together, allowing for combined strengths and opportunities to close gaps in product capabilities. This is the basis for what’s called the “API ecosystem.”

APIs have come to dominate the software landscape, acting as the connectors and communicators between disparate systems. Traditionally, the world of APIs has been dominated by API management tools, platforms that focus on overseeing, monitoring, and securing APIs. But what if we’ve been approaching APIs from a slightly skewed angle? Here’s the key things to know about DreamFactory’s approach to API Generation: Table of Contents.

Loose coupling in REST APIs is a fundamental principle in software design that advocates for the independence of components within a design, where alterations to one component have minimal impact on the functioning of others. The allure of this approach lies in its promise of flexibility, reusability, and adaptability, especially when incorporating, replacing, or modifying components. Here’s the key things to know about loose coupling in REST APIs: Table of Contents.

Idempotent operations produce the same result even when the operation is repeated many times. The result of the 2nd, 3rd, and 1,000th repeat of the operation will return exactly the same result as the 1st time. In this post, we will demystify the concept of idempotency—a fundamental property that ensures consistency, predictability, and reliability in APIs and distributed systems.

If you have worked mainly with REST APIs, there’s a chance you might not be acquainted with asynchronous APIs and their protocols, such as WebSockets, Kafka, and AMQP. Asynchronous APIs enable you to manage multiple requests simultaneously to communicate between services effectively. Many similar tasks can be performed using both these APIs; however, some use cases can be managed better with a particular API. Let’s delve deeper into the difference between synchronous and asynchronous APIs.