Publish multiple versions of your API in API Management
Publishing multiple versions of your API in Azure API Management (APIM) is a crucial practice for maintaining backward compatibility, introducing new features, and ensuring a smooth transition for your API consumers. Let’s break down this process in a way that’s easy to understand.
What is API Versioning?
Imagine you have a recipe for a cake that everyone loves. Over time, you might want to improve the recipe by adding new ingredients or changing the baking process. However, you don’t want to disappoint people who love the original recipe. So, you keep the original recipe and introduce a new version with the improvements. This way, everyone is happy!
Similarly, when you have an API (Application Programming Interface), which is like a set of instructions for how different software applications can talk to each other, you might want to make changes to it. But you don’t want to break the applications that are already using your API. So, you create a new version of the API with the changes while keeping the old version available. This is called API versioning.
Why Version Your API?
- Backward Compatibility: New versions of your API can introduce changes without breaking existing applications that rely on the old version.
- Feature Rollout: You can introduce new features in a new version without affecting users of the old version.
- Smooth Transition: Users can gradually migrate to the new version at their own pace.
How to Version Your API in Azure API Management (APIM)
Azure API Management is a service that helps you create, manage, and monitor APIs. Here’s how you can publish multiple versions of your API in APIM:
Step 1: Create Your API
First, you need to have an API in APIM. This is like having your original cake recipe.
- Log in to Azure Portal: Go to the Azure Portal and navigate to your API Management instance.
- Create an API: Click on “APIs” and then “Add API”. You can import an existing API or create a new one from scratch.
Step 2: Define API Versions
Now, let’s say you want to create a new version of your API. You need to define how the versions will be differentiated.
- Versioning Policy: Decide how you want to version your API. Common methods include:
- Query String: Use a query parameter like
?api-version=2.0. - Header: Use a custom header like
api-version: 2.0. - Path: Use a path segment like
/v2/.
- Configure Versioning in APIM:
- Go to your API in APIM.
- Click on “Settings”.
- Under “Versioning”, select the versioning method you want to use (e.g., Query String).
- Define the version identifier (e.g.,
v2).
Step 3: Create a New Version
Now, let’s create a new version of your API.
- Duplicate the API: You can duplicate the existing API to create a new version.
- Go to your API in APIM.
- Click on “Revisions”.
- Click “Create Revision” and give it a new version number (e.g.,
2.0).
- Modify the New Version: Make the necessary changes to the new version of your API.
- Add new operations or modify existing ones.
- Update the schema if needed.
Step 4: Publish the New Version
Once you’ve made your changes, you need to publish the new version.
- Publish the Revision:
- Go to the new revision in “Revisions”.
- Click “Publish Revision”.
- Select the product you want to publish the API under.
Step 5: Test the New Version
Before you let everyone use the new version, you should test it to make sure it works as expected.
- Test in Developer Portal:
- Go to the Developer Portal.
- Try out the new version of your API to ensure it works correctly.
Step 6: Notify Users
Let your API consumers know about the new version. Provide them with documentation and migration guides.
- Documentation: Update your API documentation to include information about the new version.
- Migration Guide: Provide a guide on how to migrate from the old version to the new version.
Managing Multiple Versions
Managing multiple versions of your API can be a bit tricky, but here are some tips:
- Deprecate Old Versions: Gradually phase out old versions once most users have migrated to the new version.
- Monitor Usage: Keep an eye on which versions of your API are being used. This helps you understand when it’s safe to retire old versions.
- Communicate Clearly: Keep your users informed about changes, deprecations, and new features.
Key Takeaways
- Versioning: Helps maintain backward compatibility and introduces new features.
- Azure API Management: A powerful tool for managing and versioning APIs.
- Steps: Create, define, create new versions, publish, test, and notify users.
- Best Practices: Deprecate old versions, monitor usage, and communicate clearly.