API management is a critical aspect of any digital project, enabling businesses to securely expose their data and functionality to third parties. As such, it’s essential to build an API in a way that keeps clients safe.

An API must also be fully manageable. And If you’re thinking of building an API or looking to manage your existing API, you’ll find a lot of great tools that come with a hefty price tag. In this blog, I’ll list some tools with free services that you can use to manage your API.

API Management Platforms

There are many different options for secure API management, but three of the most popular are Apigee, 3scale, and Akana. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, so choosing the one that’s right for your needs is important.

Apigee

Apigee offers a set of tools for API management that provides a platform for developers to create, test, and deploy APIs. It includes an API gateway, which provides a single point of entry for all API calls, and a set of API management tools, which help you manage your APIs and control access to them. Apigee also provides security features that help secure your APIs and prevent unauthorized access.

3scale

3scale is a platform that provides developers with the tools they need to build, manage, and grow their APIs. It offers a variety of features for security, including a self-service portal, API management, and monetization. 3scale is a good choice for developers who want to get started quickly and easily with API management.

Akana

Akana is a provider of API management, integration, and microservices solutions. The company’s solutions enable organizations to design, build, secure and scale their APIs and microservices. Akana’s API management solutions include an API gateway, API management platform, and API security solutions.

Akana’s integration solutions include an integration platform and gateway. Akana’s microservices solutions include a microservices platform, microservices gateway, and microservices services.

Version Control Tools

There are several free version control tools available for API management. Some of the most popular include Git, Mercurial, and Bazaar. Each version control system has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s essential to choose the one that best fits your needs.

Git

Git is an open-source, distributed revision control and source code management (SCM) system designed with speed and data integrity in mind. It has a command-line client that can be quite intimidating to newcomers, but programmers frequently use it to develop efficient workflows. In fact, Git is one of the many tools Linux developers use, and was forked from an older version of BitKeeper. Linux, the famous computer operating system kernel, uses Git alongside other free software projects.

SVN

Subversion is a free, open-source platform for sharing your code and collaborating with a software development team. Whether you’re working on a small project or are collaborating with many others, you must have access to each others’ projects, especially in case someone is out of touch, or an unforeseen bug arises. With Subversion, you can easily access your code wherever you are and whenever you need it.

Mercurial

Mercurial is another popular open-source version control system. It’s easy to learn and use and has an intuitive graphical interface. However, it’s not as fast or scalable as Git and doesn’t have as large a community of users.

Bazaar

Bazaar is a decentralized version control system. Its main advantage is that it is 100% distributed. You can use Bazaar without storing your code on a centralized server. Bazaar offers several cool features not included in other version control programs, such as built-in screen sharing. The downside is that Bazaar’s speed can be slowed as it allows multiple computers to work on the same codebase simultaneously.

Choosing the right version control tool is important for an API management project. Be sure to evaluate your needs carefully before making a decision.

API Testing Tools

API testing is a type of software testing that focuses on testing application programming interfaces (APIs) for errors, production failures, or security vulnerabilities. API testing can be performed using a number of different tools, some of which are mentioned below.

SoapUI

SoapUI is a tool specifically designed for testing web services. It can be used to test both SOAP and RESTful web services. SoapUI allows users to create and execute test cases, view results, and even generate test reports.

Locust

As a programmer, I find Locust particularly useful because it allows me to experiment with my APIs and see different approaches to writing a load tester. Locust is built with Python and can be used on any machine with Python installed. It’s a great choice for writing load testers because it’s user-friendly and easy to run.

Postman

Postman is another tool that can be used for API testing. Postman provides a cloud-based option and is very easy to install using Chrome’s extension feature. Postman has a GUI with a request editor, a folder system where requests are stored which can be easily accessed, and also a built-in system where you can save your responses. Using Postman, you can quickly fix bugs, test new features, and develop new tools — it’s an invaluable tool for testing APIs.

API Task Management Tools

Many different tools can be used for project management, but three of the most popular are Jira, Trello, and Asana. Each of these tools has its pros and cons, so it’s important to choose the one suitable for your project requirements.

Jira

Jira is a popular issue tracking and project management tool that can be used for API management. It can help you track and manage your APIs, as well as track and manage the issues and bugs that may arise with your APIs. However, it can be challenging for smaller projects, and it’s not always the most user-friendly tool.

Trello

Trello is a simple and easy-to-use tool that’s great for small and medium-sized projects. It’s not as feature-rich as Jira, but it’s much easier to use and is perfect for teams that need a straightforward way to manage their API development. It also integrates with other tools, such as GitHub, so you can easily track changes and collaborate with others.

Asana

Asana is a tool that’s somewhere in between Jira and Trello in terms of features and complexity. It’s a good choice for teams that need more than what Trello offers but don’t need all the bells and whistles of Jira.

Final Words

Many free tools are available to help technology businesses manage their API’s infrastructure and ongoing development process. These range from traditional API management solutions, to version control systems, testing tools, and task management software. Of course, selecting the right tool will depend on various aspects, including the size and complexity of your API, the number of third parties that will require access to your API, and your budget.