Compare APIM 3.0 with Classic APIM

APIM 3.0 builds on Classic APIM by adding capabilities required for modern, growing API programs.

APIM 3.0:

  • Delivers seamless data and application integration using Services as the building blocks for composability.
  • Provides agility to structure domain- and data-driven Services as APIs efficiently and reliably.
  • Reduces time-to-market for building and publishing Services.
  • Augments API programs with capabilities that help growing businesses scale operations and adapt to changing needs.
  • Enables standardization of governance with built-in supervision, controls, and checks—without duplicating configuration.
  • Provides automation to migrate Classic APIM APIs and Proxies to APIM 3.0 Services.

Key Differences

The primary difference between Classic APIM and APIM 3.0 is not the API implementation model, but how APIs and governance are modeled, reused, and operated.

Classic APIM:

  • Supports two API implementation approaches:
    • Proxies that front third-party or external endpoints.
    • Native SnapLogic APIs, implemented and executed within SnapLogic.
  • APIs are managed individually, regardless of implementation type, and cannot be combined.
  • Governance is supported, but is typically:
    • Defined per API or API version.
    • Copied and customized rather than reused.
  • Configuration grows linearly with the number of APIs.
  • User interface reflects earlier design patterns and workflows.

APIM 3.0:

  • Like Classic APIM, APIM 3.0 supports proxies and native SnapLogic APIs. However, they are modeled as Services designed for reuse and multiple endpoints can be combined in one Service.
  • Governance is implemented through reusable Policies composed of individual rules.
  • Common patterns are defined once and applied consistently.
  • Designed explicitly for composability and domain-driven services.
  • Includes a modernized user interface optimized for scale and usability.

Similarities

Classic APIM and APIM 3.0 have a common foundation. The intentional continuity enables you to evolve API management without changing the underlying implementation models. Both Classic APIM and APIM 3.0 support:

  • APIs implemented as proxies in front of third-party or external endpoints.
  • Native SnapLogic task APIs that execute pipelines on the SnapLogic infrastructure.
  • The same policy hierarchy:
Classic APIM APIM 3.0
environment (Org) level — Applies to all API/Proxy versions unless overridden at a version or endpoint level Catalog Policy — Applies to all Services unless overridden at a Service version or endpoint level
API or Proxy version — Applies unless overridden at the endpoint level Service version — Applies unless overridden at the endpoint level
Endpoint — Overrides other policies Endpoint — Overrides other policies
  • Governance controls such as authentication, authorization, rate limiting, and traffic management.
  • A developer portal to publish APIs for consumption.

Interface Mapping

A key improvement of APIM 3.0 is the new interface. The image below shows the API Manager in Classic APIM on the left and the Service catalog in APIM 3.0 on the right.


Classic APIM API Manager and APIM 3.0 Service catalog side by side

The following table maps the Classic APIM interface to APIM 3.0 interface components:

Classic APIM APIM 3.0 Supported tasks
API Manager

Services Catalog

Policy Catalog
  • From the Services catalog, create and manage Services, apply Policies, publish, and manage Subscriptions
  • From the Policy Catalog, define and edit Policies composed of multiple rules
Portal Manager Admin Manager API Management 3.0 settings Configure the Developer Portal, add a logo
Subscription Manager Admin Manager
  • From the Admin Manager Users page, approve or delete Developer Portal user accounts
  • From the Services catalog, manage subscriptions
Note: Customers subscribed to Classic APIM can access the Classic interface from APIM 3.0.

Accessing Classic APIM interface from APIM 3.0

Feature Mapping

Feature Classic APIM APIM 3.0
API support Proxies to third-party/external endpoints and native SnapLogic APIs Proxies to third-party/external endpoints and native SnapLogic APIs modeled as Services that can support multiple endpoints
Governance support Through individual Policies Through Policies composed of individual rules. Rules are the equivalent of Classic APIM Policies.
Governance reuse Limited / manual First-class reusable assets
Reusability model Minimal Core design principle
Composability Limited Explicitly supported
User interface Legacy Modern
Scalability model Configuration per API Shared, reusable building blocks

Related Content

For more information on APIM 3.0, refer to the following resources: