Apigee is a cloud-based API management tool. It integrates data from databases, warehouses, data lakes and SaaS services. It is a no-code tool making it a valuable asset for citizen integrators and developers alike. However, the platform was initially designed to build APIs for monoliths. It was not designed to handle microservices. Given we are in the age of digital transformation where microservices rule, Apigee may not be suitable for a lot of use cases. In this guide, check out a few Apigee alternatives to discover the best solution for your team.
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Apigee Alternative: DreamFactory
Building APIs with DreamFactory is quick and easy. The ability to build APIs so quickly is ideal for rapid prototyping without complex code. Additionally, our platform can connect to any data source via REST APIs. Here’s what some of our customers have to say:
“It has allowed us to create a single data layer that unifies all our underlying platforms. It does this elegantly, with consistent architecture, taking care of authentication and caching.”
“They provided an automated, managed, authenticated API layer on top of almost all our databases and systems”
DeamFactory runs on Linux, Windows and macOS X. As a result, you won’t be locked in if you decide to switch platforms. Not only that, DreamFactory makes it easy to migrate applications between environments (dev, test, production). You can create a package file that has the app’s configuration settings. That package can then be deployed to any environment you specify. Try DreamFactory out to see firsthand the flexible deployment options.
Never build an API again. Get the backend you have been dreaming of created & deployed instantly. Using DreamFactory, you’ll save time and money. As one of our customers points out, “DreamFactory has saved us countless development hours by providing an extremely easy way to bridge our data sources.”
Apigee Alternative: Kong
Another Apigee alternative is Kong, which is an open source platform. This makes it ideal for teams looking for complete control over customizing the tool. The strong community of developers means tons of support and plenty of free plugins. The plugins improve the overall reusability of a lot of logic of the API gateway.
As an open-source solution, the basic version is free. However, there is a paid version that offers more support options. One of Kong’s biggest advantages is that it comes with prebuilt containers such as Docker and Vagrant. So companies with established CI/CD processes can integrate it into the deployment process quickly.
One notable downside is that novice users may have some trouble getting used to the tool, as one reviewer says “The interface still can be quite daunting for a novice user.” When you’re looking to get going quickly, Kong can become a bottleneck in that regard.
Apigee Alternative: Postman
If you want more flexibility in team collaboration, Postman is a strong Apigee alternative. Commenting, forking, branching, pull requests version control and more enhance the collaboration experience. Postman allows teams to mock API responses without having to set up a backend. One user says it best:
“The best thing I like is that we can easily create Mock API, which is very useful in the application development when we don’t have an actual REST endpoint”
The downside to Postman is that it has limited integration capabilities. As this reviewer reports: “It could have better integrations for other types of APIs like SOAP, GraphQL.” This limitation creates an obstacle in connecting the tool with other systems. However, it is an open-source solution that may be an attractive option to some. There is also a paid version that offers more features.
Apigee Alternative: Stoplight
Stoplight is a design-first API development tool. So it is a much faster and more effective API development approach. The ability to export OpenAPI files and import them to a development environment gives it an additional advantage. It also supports API linting and mock testing.
Whether you are a product manager, architect or developer, you can create and prototype APIs without getting bogged down in code. The tool also works directly with design artifacts on Git.
Although there are plenty of good things about Stoplight, it has some downsides that prevent it from being a good Apigee alternative. For one, many users find the UI confusing. Some say “The interface design needs some improvements.” and that “The editor can be a little confusing at times”
Generate a full-featured,documented, and secure REST API in minutes.
Sign up for our free 14 day hosted trial to learn how.
Get Started with DreamFactory
While each of these Apigee alternatives is good for API management, many are not user-friendly. And so getting maximum use out of them will be challenging. Some users may struggle to do simple tasks. Compare that to DreamFactory that features a visually appealing and user-friendly tool that allows you to manage APIs with ease.
The right platform can streamline the way you manage your business’s APIs. DreamFactory gives you a host of useful features including API mocking, instant API creation and rapid prototyping and a suite of security controls.
Start your free 14-day free trial with DreamFactory to discover how a top API program can help you streamline your API management.
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