API Gateway Patterns: Routing, Rate Limiting, and Authentication
An API gateway sits between clients and backend services, handling cross-cutting concerns that every API needs. This guide covers the patterns that make gateways effective.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- {'point': 'Centralize cross-cutting concerns', 'detail': 'API gateways consolidate routing, authentication, and rate limiting into one layer, preventing each microservice from reimplementing these capabilities.'} 𝕏
- {'point': 'Token bucket balances burst and sustained limits', 'detail': 'The token bucket algorithm is the most practical rate limiting strategy, allowing legitimate traffic bursts while enforcing long-term rate caps.'} 𝕏
- {'point': 'Split auth responsibilities appropriately', 'detail': 'Handle authentication and coarse-grained authorization at the gateway, but keep fine-grained authorization in backend services where business context lives.'} 𝕏
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