Handling OpenAPI Specifications in Azure API Management

OpenAPI specifications define all API endpoints in a structured format that Azure API Management (APIM) can easily import. This approach offers several advantages:

• Standardization: OpenAPI provides a consistent way to describe RESTful APIs, making them easier for developers to understand and use.
• Automation: OpenAPI specs enable automation for tasks such as generating client SDKs, server stubs, and API documentation.
• Improved Developer Experience: A clear API definition simplifies integration for developers.
• Granular APIM Features: You can define policies at the endpoint level, rather than only at the API service level.

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Explicitly defining each endpoint in your OpenAPI specification ensures clear and predictable routing in APIM. While APIM technically supports wildcard paths like /*, using wildcards often leads to ambiguous routing and unexpected behavior. Explicit endpoint definitions are strongly recommended for robust API management. Manually specifying every path can be tedious and error-prone, which is why OpenAPI specifications are preferred.

To simplify working with OpenAPI in APIM and avoid common issues, we offer pipeline templates that export valid OpenAPI specifications from your app and import them into APIM. The APIM Developer Portal also automatically generates documentation from your OpenAPI specs. Find the pipeline templates here.

Exporting OpenAPI Specifications

Use the following guides to export OpenAPI schemas from your app:

• FastAPI
• Django REST Framework (DRF)

If you want to deep dive into detail of OpenAPI specifications

• Manual Handling Guide

Other useful links docs

• Pipeline Setup Guide
• Validating OpenAPI Specifications

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