Explain the differences between an API Gateway and a Service?

Mesh.

• API Gateway:
• An API Gateway is a single entry point into the system. It handles incoming

client requests, routing them to the appropriate microservices, and often

includes additional features like load balancing, security (authentication,

authorization), rate-limiting, and caching.

• The gateway typically focuses on external communication and manages

how clients interact with the microservices.

• Example: Nginx, Kong, AWS API Gateway.
• Service Mesh:
• A Service Mesh is an infrastructure layer for managing internal

communication between microservices. It handles routing, load balancing,

service discovery, security, and observability for service-to-service

communication, transparent to the application code.

• It typically uses sidecar proxies alongside each microservice to intercept and

manage traffic between services.

• Example: Istio, Linkerd, Consul.

Key Differences:

• API Gateway manages external requests from clients.
• Service Mesh handles internal service-to-service communication.

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