API గేట్‌వే అంటే ఏమిటి మరియు అది ఏమి చేస్తుంది?

The API GATEWAY is a single entry point in front of backend services:
  Client → API GATEWAY → ┬→ Service A
                         ├→ Service B
                         └→ Service C
  → handles cross-cutting concerns in ONE place (so services don't each implement them)
  → routes requests to the right service; abstracts the backend from clients

✓ ROUTING → direct requests to the appropriate backend service
✓ AUTHENTICATION/authorization → verify identity/permissions centrally
✓ RATE LIMITING / throttling → protect backends from abuse/overload
✓ Request/response TRANSFORMATION; protocol translation; aggregation (combine service calls)
✓ CACHING; load balancing; SSL termination
✓ LOGGING, monitoring, analytics; error handling