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1 - API Gateway (Gravitee) description

Last modified by Ismo Aulaskari on 2026/06/15 11:59

Gravitee.io is a lightweight open-source API gateway platform. Gravitee provides the tools for publishing and using APIs. This guide outlines technical instructions related to the platform that are good to read through before using the platform.

General Information

The University of Helsinki has developed an API management model that outlines considerations for API publishing. If you have not yet familiarized yourself with the API management model, you can read it here. If you want to quickly learn how to publish an API, refer to the instructions published on this page.

Purpose of the API Gateway Platform

The API gateway platform enables:

  •     The publication of interfaces (APIs) for use by other applications and integrations.
  •     During publication, usage can be restricted using an API plan. These may include:
  •         The number of requests allowed within a defined time (rate limits)
  •         Request authentication
  •     Calling/using interfaces through an address published by the API gateway on an application basis
  •     Monitoring and managing the use of interfaces
  •     API cataloging
  •     Versioning of interfaces

The purpose of the platform is to facilitate the publication and reuse of interfaces. In addition, the platform aims to achieve better manageability of interfaces, supported according to the procedures outlined in the API management model.

Key Concepts

The API gateway platform (Gravitee) uses concepts that are good to know if you are using the platform. Below are the most commonly used concepts explained:

ConceptExplanation
PlanAn API plan is created for the publication of an interface, which describes, among other things, how to authenticate and any related restrictions. Your application will subscribe to the api's plan.
ApplicationTo reuse interfaces, an application must be created/registerd in the API gateway, which describes the application that will use the interface. When monitoring and managing API usage, this is done specifically for the applications.
SubscribeReusing an interface requires a subscription (Subscribe) to the selected interface. When subscribing, a plan (Plan) is selected from the options provided by the publisher of the interface. The subscription always requires that the subscriber has created an application (Application) for which the subscription is being made.