juniorMicroservices
What is an API Gateway?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
A single entry point for all clients that routes requests to the appropriate microservice.
Deep explanation
Microservices focus on breaking down a large application into smaller, manageable pieces. Each service is independent, meaning it has its own codebase, development team, and deployment lifecycle. This separation allows for technology diversity and better fault isolation.
Real-world example
An e-commerce site where 'Payments', 'Inventory', and 'Shipping' are separate services.
Common mistakes
- Creating 'Distributed Monoliths' where services are too tightly coupled.
Follow-up questions
- How do services talk to each other?
- What happens if one service goes down?