What is API in Cloud-Native?

APIs, also known as application programming interfaces, connect services within a microservices architecture. They define rules and specifications for interacting software components and data exchange, acting as contracts.
Through loose coupling, APIs are used to deploy, develop, and scale services in a reusable and interoperable space.

Cloud-native and SaaS utilize cloud computing, but they approach software development/delivery differently. Here’s how: 

• Cloud-Native Apps: Built specifically for a cloud. They use containers, microservices, and orchestration; these are required for agility, resilience, and scalability. Companies use cloud-native apps if they need more control over underlying infrastructures and to customize these. DevOps is necessary for deploying and managing cloud-native apps.
• SaaS (Software-as-a-Service): Applications are hosted/managed by a provider, meaning they have limited customization; on the flip side, SaaS apps are accessible to customers online. Businesses pay via subscriptions and use SaaS for deployment/maintenance.

Some of the things you’ll have to think about when designing/managing APIs in cloud-native environments are:

• Multi-API Complexity: When using multiple APIs, it’s important to address potential complexities related to design, management, and documentation. 
• Versioning: You need to carefully version APIs when they evolve to avoid issues with backward compatibility. 
• Security: Implement appropriate security measures to mitigate risks associated with API usage, as they can expose sensitive data or functionalities.
• Performance: Make sure you’ve optimized your APIs for high performance/scalability as they normally manage varying workloads.

Adhere to these practices: 

• API-First Design: Use API design prior to service implementation; this is crucial for ensuring clear contracts. 
• Standardization: Utilize Rest, GraphQL, and other API design standards; be consistent when doing so. 
• Documentation: Keep your API documentation up-to-date and ensure it’s comprehensive.
• Versioning: Define your versioning strategy before implementing it.  
• Security: Use API safeguards, such as encryption, authentication, and authorization enforcement. 
• Monitoring/Analytics: Monitor your API usage/performance over the long run.

Cloud-native discovery detects/registers a cloud environment’s services. After it has done this, the other services in the infrastructure should be able to communicate with and discover them; this is done via identifiers or logical names. 

Dynamism is crucial in cloud environments. Service discovery is also important for communication and loose coupling. 

Service discoverability works within these two aspects as follows: 

• Dynamic Scaling: new instances can be added/removed when demand surges or drops. Service discovery is essential for registering these instances and making them discoverable. 
• Service Discovery: notifies about instance failures prior to their removal from the directory, enabling other services to adjust their routing behavior. This is needed for service uptime and availability.