Application Platform Interface

Intro

An Application Platform Interface exposes services and capabilities of an application platform to applications and integrators. In EA, clear interfaces standardise how apps consume platform services.

Key points:

• Defines how applications interact with platform services
• Improves portability and consistency across environments
• Common use cases: APIs for authentication, messaging, storage, monitoring, deployment
• Pitfall: undocumented or unstable interfaces increase coupling and risk

Examples:

• Authentication API for single sign‑on across applications
• Messaging interface exposing event bus publish/subscribe
• Storage service interface standardising object and database access

In practice:

Document endpoints, contracts, versions, and security to reduce coupling and ease change.

Related terms: Application; Middleware; API Management

FAQs:

Q: Why formalise platform interfaces?
A: To reduce coupling and make applications portable across environments.

Q: What should be documented?
A: Endpoints, contracts, versioning, security, and dependency policies.

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