Postman Makes AI Tool for API Management Platform Available
Postman today generally made available a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool for its platform for building and managing application programming interfaces (APIs) that automatically creates tests and documentation. Announced at a POST/CON 2024 conference, Postbot is included with version 11 of the Postman platform which also adds workspaces that make it simpler for software engineering teams to collaborate.
Improving API Development with AI
Postman CEO Abhinav Asthana said the overall goal is to improve the quality of the APIs being developed while at the same time reducing the level of friction that occurs as APIs are developed and updated. Developers are already making extensive use of AI tools to write code, but Postman is using a combination of open-source large language models (LLMs) and LLMs from Open AI and Microsoft to automatically generate tests and documentation based on the data its platform collects. In addition to making it easier to create API tests using a conversational interface, the overall quality of those tests will improve using LLMs specifically trained using Postman data, noted Asthana.
Challenges in API Management
It’s not always clear who within organizations is managing APIs. Developers undoubtedly create APIs, but the management of APIs might be assigned to a DevOps team. As more organizations embrace platform engineering as a methodology for managing DevOps workflows at scale the more likely it becomes APIs will be managed centrally.
Ultimately, the rise of microservices-based applications has dramatically increased the number of APIs that need to be managed. APIs play a crucial role in making data available externally to other applications. However, the bulk of APIs being created today are for integrating all the microservices that make up a modern application environment. Those largely internal APIs are increasing at a pace that makes it challenging for individual developers to manage at scale. As a result, many organizations now have a significant API change management challenge, noted Asthana.
Each organization will need to determine to what degree the management of microservices is sustainable. Rather than getting caught up in philosophical debates, many organizations are deploying a mix of microservices alongside monolithic applications that also expose an API. In effect, monolithic applications are becoming large microservices. Regardless of approach, the number of APIs, including rogue and zombie APIs that organizations either didn’t realize were built or have simply been forgotten, is dizzying. In many ways, APIs in the absence of a management framework quickly become too much of a good thing.
Importance of Managing APIs
There are multiple ways to manage APIs but the one thing that is critical to remember is the approach taken needs to integrate well with the tools used to create those APIs in the first place.
Postman's AI tool for API management provides a solution for the challenges faced by developers in today's API-driven environments. With the increasing complexity and scale of API development, AI tools like Postbot can help streamline the process and improve the overall quality of APIs.
Comparison of API Gateway Pattern and Direct Client-to-Microservice Communication
There are different architectural patterns to consider when designing microservices communication. The API gateway pattern and direct client-to-microservice communication each have their own advantages and use cases.
What is API Management and Why is it Important?
API management is crucial in the modern digital landscape. It helps organizations efficiently handle the increasing number of APIs and ensure secure and seamless communication between services.
By implementing robust API management practices, businesses can enhance their scalability, maintainability, and security while enabling better integration and collaboration across various systems and platforms.
