Amazon API Gateway vs IBM - API Connect: What are the differences?

Introduction

Amazon API Gateway and IBM API Connect are two popular tools used for building, deploying, and managing APIs. While both serve similar purposes, there are several key differences between them. This markdown code will provide a concise comparison between Amazon API Gateway and IBM API Connect, highlighting the main distinctions in their features and functionality.

1. Deployment Model: Amazon API Gateway is a fully managed service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It provides on-demand scalability and handles all infrastructure aspects, relieving the user of infrastructure management tasks. On the other hand, IBM API Connect can be deployed both on-premises and in the cloud. It offers more deployment flexibility, allowing users to choose the environment that suits their specific needs.

2. Built-in Capabilities: Amazon API Gateway has built-in support for serverless architectures, enabling easy integration with AWS Lambda for implementing serverless functions. It also provides features like caching, request throttling, authentication, and authorization out-of-the-box. While IBM API Connect also offers similar capabilities, it focuses more on comprehensive API lifecycle management, including design, build, security, and governance.

3. Pricing Structure: Amazon API Gateway has a consumption-based pricing model, where users are charged for the number of API calls made and the amount of data transferred. It also offers a free tier for limited usage. IBM API Connect, on the other hand, has a subscription-based pricing model with different pricing tiers based on usage and the desired level of functionality. It provides more flexibility in terms of pricing plans.

4. Developer Portal Experience: Amazon API Gateway provides a customizable developer portal to showcase APIs to external developers and facilitate easy consumption. It allows developers to discover, explore, and test APIs with interactive documentation. IBM API Connect also offers a developer portal but focuses more on providing a comprehensive developer experience with tools for building and testing APIs, managing subscribers, and generating documentation.

5. Integration Options: Amazon API Gateway is tightly integrated with other AWS services, making it easy to leverage other AWS components and services for building scalable and highly available applications. It supports integration with services like AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon S3. IBM API Connect, on the other hand, offers integration with a variety of backend systems, including both IBM and non-IBM technologies, allowing users to connect APIs to their existing infrastructure.

6. API Lifecycle Management: IBM API Connect provides extensive capabilities for managing the complete API lifecycle, including design, build, security, deployment, and monitoring. It offers tools for designing APIs visually, generating code automatically, and managing the entire API catalog. While Amazon API Gateway also supports aspects of the API lifecycle, it mainly focuses on API deployment, management, and integration with AWS services.

In Summary, Amazon API Gateway is a fully managed service with a serverless architecture focus, tightly integrated with AWS services, and provides a customizable developer portal experience. IBM API Connect offers more flexibility in deployment options, comprehensive API lifecycle management, and integration with various backend systems, with a subscription-based pricing model.