Working with Local and VCS projects

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API Studio provides the following views to help you seamlessly switch between local and version-controlled (VCS) projects, manage files, and efficiently develop APIs:

  • Project list view
  • Explorer view
  • Outline view
  • Editor view
  • Source control view

Each view is tailored to enhance your workflow and provide essential functions for API development and version control integration.

Project list view

The project list view serves as the central hub for viewing all the projects available in API Studio. It distinguishes between API projects that are stored in local folders and in version-controlled environment (VCS). List view is the default view on the home page.

The project list displays the API projects with the following details in columns:

  • Name. The name of the project.
  • Description. A brief summary or description of the project.
  • Tags. Relevant tags that categorize or identify the project.
  • Local projects folder. The folder where the project is saved locally.
  • Repository. The GitHub repository under which the project is stored (for version-controlled projects).
  • Last edited. The date and time when the project was last modified.
List view

Use the list view to:

  • Select and open projects.
  • Identify whether a project is local or version-controlled.
  • Switch between different projects based on their storage location.
  • Use the ellipsis icon to pin projects, edit project details, duplicate a project, or delete a project.
  • Select multiple projects and delete them.

Explorer view

The Explorer view provides a detailed hierarchical structure of the project folders and files, giving you a clear view of the project contents. Whether the project is stored locally or in a repository, you can browse through the folders and files that are associated with the project.

Explorer view

Actions in Explorer view

  • Folder-level actions. At the folder level, right click to:
    • Create a folder.
    • Create a file.
    • Delete a folder.
  • File-level actions. At the file level, right click to:
    • Rename the file
    • Delete the file

You can use the Explorer view to:

  • Explore the project folder structure.
  • View file details and access resources for development.

Outline view

Outline view offers a quick summary of the file that is selected in the Explorer view.

For example, when you select an API file, the Outline view displays key components such as specifications, related policies, and other relevant details, helping you explore and understand the file's structure efficiently.

Outline view

Editor view

The editor view is a workspace for API development. It provides tools to write, edit, and configure API definitions, policies, and related assets, supporting streamlined API development.

Use the editor view to:

  • Write and edit APIs. Create and modify API definitions, policies, and associated assets for seamless API development.
  • Visualize and configure content. Use an intuitive interface to render and adjust API configurations effortlessly.

Code view and Form view

The editor view offers two modes for API development:

  • Code view. Write or edit API definitions directly by using YAML.
  • Form view. Create or modify APIs through a graphical interface with input fields, drop-downs, and checkboxes, without requiring code.

Toolbar and available actions

The editor includes a toolbar with various options to manage and interact with APIs effectively.

  • Deploy to gateway. Deploy the assets to the gateway.
  • Run test . Run tests to validate the API behavior.
  • Map. View a condensed representation of the API definition to navigate large files efficiently.
  • Code view. Open the API definition in code view (YAML).
  • Form view. Edit the API using a graphical interface.

Linting support

If there are any issues in the code, API Studio detects them and lists them in the Problems tab. This helps identify syntax errors, missing configurations, or policy violations, ensuring that the API definition adheres to best practices.

Click an issue in the Problems tab to navigate directly to the corresponding line in the code, allowing for quick identification and resolution.

Editor view
Note: Any configuration that is defined in Code view is also available in Form view through corresponding fields. Both views provide different ways to interact with the same settings.

Source control view

The Source control view provides a dedicated interface for managing Git operations in version-controlled projects. With this view you can track and manage changes, enabling efficient version control directly from API Studio.

Git operations

  • Commit & Push. Save and upload changes to the remote repository.
  • Pull. Retrieve updates from the remote repository to sync your local project.

Changes and Staged changes

  • Changes. Displays the list of files that are modified.
  • Staged changes. Displays files that are ready to be committed.
Source control view