Understanding API security

Before we dive into API and microservices security, let’s take a moment to review the general term “security” and why it is an important concept to be familiar with as a modern developer.

Application security refers to the discipline of implementing safeguards and best practices to protect software applications from threats and vulnerabilities throughout their life cycle, from development through deployment and maintenance. Its purpose is to ensure that data handled by the application is protected from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction, and that the application functions reliably, even in the face of malicious attempts to exploit its behavior.

In a traditional monolithic system, security is typically centralized and easier to enforce due to the single deployment unit. In contrast, in a microservices-based architecture, application security becomes inherently more complex. Each microservice represents an independent...