An API gateway for a modern organization easily accommodates evolving demands and changing infrastructure.
We’ve evaluated five of the leading API gateway solutions, including Gloo Gateway and Apigee, and compared them against seven key capabilities in this API gateway buyer’s guide.
In part 2 of our series (see part 1 here), we’re looking at how each solution handles architecture, scalability and performance, and developer experience and documentation.
Architecture
API gateway architecture must be able to support modern applications, providing confidence and the ability to run independently in a container and the flexibility for scaling.
These are the API gateway architecture capabilities we compared:
- Cloud-native design provides comprehensive microservices support, container orchestration, and/or Kubernetes support.
- Virtual machine environments ensure efficient handling of traffic levels while maintaining security and ease of use.
- ARM processor support enables applications to run efficiently on devices using this architecture.
- Serverless function support helps with applications built in hybrid-cloud serverless environments.
- Packaging and deployment gets organizations and individuals started quickly and easily.
- Event-driven architecture offers seamless integration with services and systems based on specific events or conditions.
- Gateway-to-gateway communication connects multiple gateways across services securely and efficiently.
- Multi-tenancy and isolation make API gateway features available to those who need them while maintaining overall security.
Overall, Gloo Gateway gets a 4/4 for these offerings, while Apigee gets a 1/4. Read the full breakdown in the API Gateway buyer’s guide.
Scalability and Performance
An API gateway must be able to handle the anticipated volume of incoming requests and ensure efficient and reliable communication between clients and services.
These are the API gateway scalability and performance capabilities we compared:
- Auto-scaling handles fluctuating levels of incoming traffic efficiently.
- Load balancing distributes incoming traffic across multiple backend servers or services.
- Latency and throughput ensures that API requests are processed responsively.
- Resource overhead considers CPU utilization and memory and how they affect a gateway’s processing and management tasks.
- Resiliency allows for easily defined timeouts, retries, circuit breakers, and more.
- High performance APIs (streaming and gRPC) help with integration and communication between clients and backend services.
Overall, Gloo Gateway gets a 4/4 for these offerings, while Apigee gets a 2/4.
Developer Experience & Documentation
API gateways must be easily adopted by developers, limiting time spent onboarding and learning while providing a positive user experience.
These are the developer experience and documentation capabilities we compared in our API gateway buyer’s guide:
- API catalog/developer portal provides a valuable resource for developers to better understand and use APIs.
- DevOps/GitOps friendly allows for easy integration for developers.
- GraphQL simplifies the creation and maintenance of GraphQL APIs.
- Service discovery enables API gateways to adapt to changes in underlying infrastructure.
Overall, Gloo Gateway gets a 4/4 for these offerings, while Apigee gets a 2/4.
Compare Every API Gateway Capability
To learn more about all of the capabilities we compared for Gloo Gateway and Apigee, download our API gateway buyer’s guide.
For a better understanding of API gateways, take our API Gateway Basics course.
