API Glossary: A comprehensive guide to API terminology by Unkey

With clear definitions and helpful examples, Unkey's API Glossary is your go-to resource for understanding the key concepts and terminology in API development.

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A

TL;DR

A design pattern that prevents system failure by monitoring and managing service errors.

API Circuit Breaker

C

TL;DR

Containerization is a method of packaging an application's code and dependencies into a single, isolated unit, enabling consistent operation across different systems.

Containerization

H

TL;DR

HATEOAS (Hypermedia as the Engine of Application State) is a constraint of REST architecture that enables dynamic navigation of APIs through hypermedia links in responses.

HATEOAS

M

TL;DR

MIME Types are identifiers used to specify the nature and format of data.

MIME types

S

TL;DR

Single Sign On (SSO) is an authentication process that allows a user to access multiple applications with one set of login credentials.

Single Sign On

TL;DR

Statelessness in APIs refers to the server not retaining any client-specific data between requests, making each request independent and self-contained.

Statelessness

T

TL;DR

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a protocol that provides authentication and encryption for secure data transmission, often used in APIs to prevent unauthorized data tampering and Man-in-the-Middle attacks.

transport-layer-security

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