Tutorials for working with API definitions that call an existing endpoint

Tutorials for creating API definitions to expose and secure BankA APIs in IBM® API Connect Version 5.0.7 and later.

Introduction

Note: For tutorials about working with the developer toolkit in IBM API Connect Version 5.0.6 and earlier, see Developer toolkit tutorials for V5.0.6 and earlier.

BankA has an existing set of REST-based services that it wants to expose through APIs, to help it grow within the mobile and device application market. The BankA business team knows that an increased mobile and device application presence will promote their brand image and result in increased customer numbers.

In the following tutorials, you develop the BankA API management solution. The initial solution includes the documentation of a BankA branch information API and the implementation of a pure proxy to access the branch information REST service. This simple proxy allows BankA to monitor the use of the service and set rate limits on the API. You will also document, create, and implement a new operation by using an existing RESTful service.

After you define the API operations, you create and publish a Plan to socialize the API operations.

Learning objectives

During these tutorials you will learn how to create, define, and test an API. You will also learn how to create and test an assembly API, and how to use the Developer Portal. Security options are also demonstrated.

The following diagram shows the sequential flow through the IBM API Connect Developer toolkit tutorials for working with API definitions that call an existing endpoint. Before beginning a tutorial, ensure that you have completed the previous tutorials in the sequence. You can click a tutorial in the diagram to open the instructions for that tutorial.
Tutorial flow diagram for API definitions that call an existing endpoint Installing the toolkit Prerequisites Tutorial: Creating and publishing an API definition from the command line Tutorial: Creating an invoke REST API definition Using the Developer Portal Tutorial: Securing an API with a client ID and client secret Tutorial: Securing APIs by using an LDAP user registry Tutorial: Securing an API by using OAuth 2.0

Prerequisites

  1. Install the developer toolkit if you have not already done so. For more information, see Installing the toolkit.
  2. Open your browser.
  3. To ensure that the JSON formatted response of the BankA branch information API is operational, enter the URL https://apictutorials.mybluemix.net/branches and verify that the API provides a response that is similar to the following example:

    JSON response from branch information API

To complete the tutorial tasks that involve publishing your API, you must fulfill the following additional prerequisites:
  1. You must be the owner of a provider organization, or have been added to a provider organization as a user with the Publisher role. For details on creating a provider organization and specifying the owner, see Creating a provider organization account. For details on adding a user to a provider organization with the Publisher role, see Adding users and assigning roles.
  2. You must have followed the instructions in the provider organization email invitation to activate your API Connect account.
  3. If you have internet connectivity, to run the API Designer you must have a IBM Cloud account. To create a IBM Cloud account, use the IBM Cloud registration page.

You publish an API to make it available to application developers through the Developer Portal.