Compare APIM 3.0 with Classic APIM

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.

Feature mapping

The following table summarizes how specific features compare between the two products.


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	Per-API configuration; no shared assets	Core design principle
Composability	Limited	Explicitly supported
User interface	Earlier design patterns and workflows	Redesigned for scale and usability
Scalability model	Configuration per API	Shared, reusable building blocks

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:

Third-party or external endpoints.
Native SnapLogic task APIs that execute pipelines on the SnapLogic infrastructure.
Governance controls such as authentication, authorization, rate limiting, and traffic management.
A developer portal to publish APIs for consumption.

Both products also use 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 — can contain multiple rules. Each rule has an Always use Catalog rule checkbox that determines whether the Catalog rule overrides the same type of rule set at the Service 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

Interface mapping

APIM 3.0 includes a redesigned interface. The image below shows the API Manager in Classic APIM on the left and the Services Catalog in APIM 3.0 on the right.

Classic APIM API Manager and APIM 3.0 Services 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

Migrating Classic APIM assets to APIM 3.0

The Migration Tool creates a new Service version in APIM 3.0 from a selected API Version or Proxy without modifying the original. After migration, both the original asset and the new Service exist simultaneously. Once you publish the new Service, APIM 3.0 forwards calls from the original URL to the new Service. For the full migration process, including what happens to the source asset after publishing, see Move from Classic APIM to APIM 3.0.