What is better, an API or a proxy.

An API gateway is preferable to an API proxy in most cases due to its advanced features and capabilities. Here's why:

1. Functionality: API gateways offer a more comprehensive set of features, including API versioning, transformation, authentication, authorization, rate limiting, caching, and monitoring. These features are tailored for API management, enhancing the usability and security of APIs.
2. Security: API gateways provide end-to-end security, including handling authentication, authorization, Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, SQL injection checks, and load balancing. They also allow for the creation of brand new endpoints and virtual endpoints.
3. Scalability: API gateways are designed to handle high traffic and can distribute requests across multiple backend servers, improving performance and availability. They can also optimize configuration based on usage patterns.
4. Customization: API gateways can be customized to meet specific application requirements, providing a more tailored experience for developers. They can also serve as a front door to multiple APIs, simplifying client integration.
5. Integration: API gateways can integrate with external services and support microservices, making them a more versatile solution for modern applications. They can also enable innovative automations and improve employee productivity through API integration.
6. Monitoring: API gateways offer robust monitoring capabilities, enabling developers to view real-time data and errors, ensuring the reliability of APIs. This is essential for maintaining the quality of the API and identifying potential issues.
7. Flexibility: API gateways can be used to construct modern APIs from existing services, providing a unified interface for clients. This allows for greater flexibility in how services communicate and eases integration efforts.

In conclusion, while API proxies are suitable for simple API solutions, API gateways are the better choice for more complex scenarios that require advanced features and management capabilities. They offer a more secure, scalable, and customizable solution that can handle the demands of modern applications and integrations.