API management

Open interfaces. Clear boundaries.

Partners and applications need interfaces whose behavior they can rely on. We design API contracts, set up access and protection at the gateway and organize versions, documentation and approvals across the entire lifecycle.

What we take care of Discuss your project

API guideline and interface catalog · Planning and implementation by OTOKO®

Your brief for OTOKO®

What we take care of for you.

We start with the cases handled by the connected systems: what data do they need, which states are they allowed to change and how do they detect errors? REST, GraphQL or gRPC are chosen depending on the use case. The description uses the format that suits the protocol, for example OpenAPI for HTTP APIs of that kind. Besides the payload, pagination, timeouts, error responses and retry behavior are defined. Examples and test cases help the consuming teams integrate the interface before the production release.

The possible scope of services

API guideline with naming conventions, error formats, versioning and security requirements
Interface catalog with OpenAPI specification and an owner per API
Gateway build with Kong, Apigee or Azure API Management, connected to your identity management via OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect
Partner and developer portal with access management, keys and usage reports
Lifecycle with approval process, deprecation of old versions and change notifications

We define the specific scope, your involvement and the acceptance criteria before the start.

Technology explained clearly

How we carry out the task.

The gateway and the application handle different checks

A gateway can manage access, throttle requests and enforce technical rules. Whether a specific user is allowed to read a particular order must additionally be decided in the responsible service. We plan token validation, service identities, tenant assignment and logging along this boundary. For write calls, we clarify how repeated requests are handled. Old versions follow a clear deprecation process, so that changes do not unexpectedly break partner connections.

Run acceptance tests with the consumers

Contract tests check the agreed structure; integration and load tests also cover behavior. We test rejected access, invalid input and timeouts as well as successful calls. The handover includes the specification, gateway configuration and responsibilities. To get started, we need typical consumers, load assumptions and the business cases that an API is meant to enable.

Meeting room at the OTOKO® Cologne office

A verifiable result

What you keep working with.

API guideline and interface catalog
Operational API gateway with identity integration
Developer portal with documentation per API

The handover brings together implementation and documentation. Together, we review the agreed cases and record any remaining tasks.

Your project in detail

Operate interfaces as controlled access to your systems.

We design APIs so that internal teams and external partners can use them reliably. This includes a clear contract, defined access rights and operations that handle errors and overload visibly.

From business function to a stable API contract

An API should offer a clearly defined business function rather than exposing an internal system’s tables unfiltered to the outside. We define resources, actions, required fields and error responses together with the consuming teams. Sample data and a machine-readable description ease integration; business rules remain explicitly documented.

Changes are assessed by their impact. An additional optional field must be treated differently from a new required value or a changed meaning. We plan versioning, transition periods and communication to known users. This way, an internal database update does not have to break every connected application at the same time.

Secure the gateway, identities and backend together

The gateway can implement central rules for authentication, rate limiting and routing. Business-level authorization still needs to be checked in the responsible service: a validly logged-in customer must not automatically be able to read another customer’s records. We therefore consider the entire request chain.

For operations, we agree response time budgets, timeouts and how retries are handled. Correlation identifiers link logs across multiple systems without logging sensitive request content by default. Developer access with examples and a suitable test environment helps partners identify errors before connecting to production.

Illustrative project scenario

How the service helps in everyday use.

Example: Business partners need to retrieve the status of their orders. We provide a well-defined API, assign access to the respective organization and protect the ERP system from uncontrolled load. Internal status changes are translated into stable external responses.

This example explains a possible process and is not a customer reference.

Before the first step

Your questions about API management.

Is an API gateway enough for security?

No. It complements the security checks of the application. Business permissions and secure data processing must be implemented in the responsible services.

Can external partners get a test environment?

Yes, if scope and data access are agreed. We plan separate access credentials, suitable test data and a path to approval for production.

Your project

Which task would you like to solve?

Describe your situation and the desired result. The selected service will be included in the contact request.

Request this service

Navigation

Open interfaces. Clear boundaries.