With Azure API App, we can easily build, deploy and consume API on the cloud without managing underlying infrastructure. The key features of API Apps – authentication, CORS and API metadata.
Features of Azure API App
1. Faster deployment of scalable Rest API’s
2. Support of Authentication with Azure AD and call Microsoft API’s
3. Consume APIs with CORS support
4. Swagger Support
5. Develop APIs with .NET, PHP, Node.js, Python or Java
6. Easily integrate with other Azure service like API management, Azure SQL, Logic apps and many more
7. Configure CI/CD to deploy your API’s
8. For Pricing refer to Azure App Service plan pricing.
9. Secure Platform that scales automatically
10. Monitor your App, configure alerts and do Auto scaling
Azure Web App vs API App
1. Web Apps is a website which you can see in the browser whereas API is a service used in Web App. E.g: ASP.NET MVC application is Web App having UI with data where Web API return only data via end points for integrations to exchange data.
2. Now API APPs and Web Apps under the umbrella of APP Services if there is no difference, only icon difference in Azure Portal.
3. If you want to import API definition in Azure API management, you can do only with API App under App service.
Now, all of web, Mobile and API Apps are collectively coming under Azure App Services.