Integrations

Integrations between information systems can be done either through the ESB bus or the API gateway (Gravitee portal).

API gateway is preferred for publishing interfaces.

Basic principles for choosing the right integration tool:

* If the integration is complex and requires data transformations or combinations of different data sources, the ESB bus handles it better.
* Tightly coupled integrations between two systems with only one interface user can be done through the ESB.
* If the integration requires other business logic, it must be implemented through the ESB.
* An integration implemented with the ESB can also be published in the API gateway if it includes interfaces.

Benefits of the API gateway:

* Provides an API catalog, making the API available and visible to others.
* Offers quick self-service API creation and guides towards Swagger/OpenAPI documentation.
* Enables API reuse when they are publicly cataloged and documented.
* Facilitates the management of the API ecosystem by providing a unified interface.
* Management of the gateway, statistics, and CI/CD support through the REST API.