How iPaaS can manage API Compositions and API Orchestrations

In the realm of modern integration architecture, API Composition and API Orchestration are two powerful patterns for managing complex integrations and data flows between services. Both patterns leverage APIs but differ significantly in their approach and use cases. Additionally, Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) has emerged as a key tool for developing and managing these API flows, simplifying the implementation of both patterns. Below, we explore these two patterns in detail, highlighting their characteristics, use cases, examples, and how iPaaS can streamline their development and management.

What is API Composition?

API Composition is a design pattern used to build an API by aggregating data from multiple underlying APIs and following some business logic. This process can involve sequential or parallel invocations of APIs, and the data retrieved can be combined and merged into a single response payload. This approach allows developers to create a cohesive API endpoint that serves the specific needs of a front-end or client application.

Example: Creating Composite Service based on APIs

A common use case for API Composition is the creation of composite services that combine functionality from multiple existing applications, services, or data sources usually exposed through APIs. For example, businesses often need to create specific services like “credit check” or “generate fraud score” by integrating data and processes from various sources.

Consider a scenario where a financial institution needs to perform a credit check. This service could be a composite API that gathers data from multiple sources, such as credit bureaus, internal customer records, and third-party financial services. By composing these APIs, the credit check service can provide a single, unified response that aggregates all relevant data, thus simplifying the process for the client application. Similarly, a “generate fraud score” service might combine data from transaction logs, user behavior analytics, and external fraud detection services into one cohesive API response.

Key Features of API Composition:

• Combines responses from multiple APIs into one.
• Can execute API calls in parallel or sequentially.
• Supports conditional flows based on the response or specific logic.
• Optimizes client-server interactions by minimizing the number of requests needed.

What is API Orchestration?

API Orchestration refers to the coordination and management of multiple API calls to create an integration flow between different services or systems. Unlike API Composition, which is usually initiated by a client request, API Orchestration is often triggered by an external scheduler or event, starting a predefined workflow that interacts with various APIs.

Example: Data Consistency between applications that exposes APIs

One of the critical use cases of API Orchestration is ensuring data consistency across various applications and data sources. For example, businesses often need the capability to monitor changes in data—such as updates to customer information—and propagate these changes across multiple systems to maintain consistency. In this scenario, commonly use APIs underlying.

Consider a scenario where customer data must be synchronized across a CRM, an ERP system, and a data lake used for analytics. An API Orchestration approach can automate this flow by initiating data retrieval from the CRM when customer information changes. The orchestration layer then processes this data, merging and transforming it as necessary, before updating the ERP system and ingesting the data into the data lake. This ensures that all systems reflect the latest data changes, maintaining consistency and reducing the risk of discrepancies.

Key Features of API Orchestration:

• Manages complex workflows involving multiple API calls.
• Can be triggered by schedules, events, or other external factors.
• Allows for data transformation, merging, and validation before forwarding to target APIs.
• Facilitates integration between disparate systems, ensuring seamless data flow.

The Role of iPaaS in API Composition and Orchestration

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) is a cloud-based solution that provides tools to develop, execute, and manage integration flows between different systems and APIs. iPaaS platforms are designed to handle both API Composition and API Orchestration, offering a centralized platform to build, deploy, and monitor these flows efficiently.

How iPaaS Enhances API Composition and Orchestration:

• Built-in Connectors: iPaaS usually wrap dozens of API connectors that are ready-to-use components that abstract the complexity to invoke existing APIs.
• Simplified Development: iPaaS platforms provide a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop features, pre-built connectors, and templates that simplify the integration process, making it accessible even for non-developers. This capability is usually referred as low code feature.
• Scalability and Flexibility: iPaaS allows for scaling integration flows easily, adapting to changing business needs without the need for significant infrastructure changes.
• Centralized Management: iPaaS provides monitoring, logging, and management capabilities, giving a centralized view of all integration flows and their performance.
• Data Transformation and Mapping: iPaaS platforms include built-in tools for data transformation and mapping, essential for API Orchestration or Composition flows where data needs to be merged, transformed, or reformatted.

Strong Example of iPaaS Solution:

• Sensedia Integration Platform: Known for its robust API management and integration capabilities, supporting complex API Orchestration and Composition flows. Visit site for more information: https://www.sensedia.com/

Conclusion

Both API Composition and API Orchestration are essential patterns in modern integration architecture, each serving distinct roles in API management and system integration. iPaaS platforms enhance these patterns by providing tools to simplify, manage, and scale integration flows, ensuring seamless and efficient data exchange across systems. Understanding the nuances of each pattern and leveraging iPaaS can help developers build robust, flexible, and maintainable API ecosystems tailored to their application’s needs.