How does API Management help?

By adding multiple APIs, functions, and other services to API Management, you can assemble those components into an integrated product that presents a single entry point to client applications. Composing an API using API Management has advantages that include:

• Client apps are coupled to the API expressing business logic, not the underlying technical implementation with individual microservices. You can change the location and definition of the services without necessarily reconfiguring or updating the client apps.
• API Management acts as an intermediary. It forwards requests to the right microservice regardless of location and returns responses to users. Users never see the different URIs where microservices are hosted.
• You can use API Management policies to enforce consistent rules on all microservices in the product. For example, you can transform all XML responses into JSON, if that is your preferred format.
• Policies also enable you to enforce consistent security requirements.

API Management also includes helpful tools – you can test each microservice and its operations to ensure that they behave in accordance with your requirements. You can also monitor the behavior and performance of deployed services.

Azure API Management supports importing Azure Function Apps as new APIs or appending them to existing APIs. The process automatically generates a host key in the Azure Function App, which is then assigned to a named value in Azure API Management.