Pattern 35 / EDGE

API Gateway

Use this when giving clients one stable doorway into many backend services.

Pressure
Giving clients one stable doorway into many backend services
Mechanism
Centralize routing, auth, tls, rate limits, request shaping, and response transforms
Toll
Gateway misconfiguration can become a bottleneck or single failure point
Architecture plate35
Diagram for API Gateway
Executive brief

API Gateway fits when giving clients one stable doorway into many backend services. Mechanism: centralize routing, auth, TLS, rate limits, request shaping, and response transforms. Use it for microservices, public APIs, mobile apps, and edge entry points. The toll: gateway misconfiguration can become a bottleneck or single failure point.

Use when

Microservices, public apis, mobile apps, and edge entry points.

Example

Mobile app calls /api/orders and gateway routes to order-service.

Review framing

Describe the pressure first, then the mechanism, then the cost. That keeps the design grounded.

Same pressure family

API Design Patterns

36Backend for Frontend (BFF)37Rate Limiting38Pagination (Cursor-Based)39API Versioning
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