Getting to grips with API gateways – standard, micro, edge… what’s the difference?

API gateways, essential for managing and securing multiple APIs, come in various types like standard, micro, and edge gateways, each serving specific infrastructure needs. Standard API gateways manage traffic between APIs and consumers, offering features such as security, analytics, and traffic management, while microgateways, often used in containerized environments, provide similar functionalities but with limitations in scalability and customization. Edge gateways focus on proximity to consumers or providers' infrastructure. Choosing the right API gateway depends on specific application needs, audience, development approaches, and potential vendor lock-in, with Tyk offering a flexible, cloud-agnostic, and open-source solution suitable for diverse environments.