Cloud Endpoints
Definition
Google Cloud service for developing, deploying, and managing APIs, enabling seamless integration and scalability for applications.
Use Cases
- Google: Protecting and operating Google Cloud APIs used by developers and internal teams — Google Cloud APIs are exposed through managed API front doors that enforce authentication, quotas, and monitoring; Cloud Endpoints provides a similar pattern for customer workloads using OpenAPI/gRPC plus an API proxy (ESPv2) in front of services. (Consistent API access control, usage tracking, and operational visibility across many services, reducing the burden on individual backend teams.)
- The Home Depot: Managing and securing APIs for mobile and web experiences — Uses API management/gateway patterns on cloud to centralize authentication, traffic management, and observability for microservices consumed by customer-facing apps; Cloud Endpoints is a common GCP-native approach for these needs when running on Google Cloud. (Improved API reliability and security controls, with better monitoring and the ability to scale backend services without changing client integrations.)
Provider Equivalents
- AWS: Amazon API Gateway
- Azure: Azure API Management
- GCP: Cloud Endpoints
- OCI: OCI API Gateway
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Cloud Endpoints and Apigee?
- Cloud Endpoints is a lightweight, developer-focused API gateway for Google Cloud that helps you deploy and secure APIs (often with OpenAPI or gRPC) and monitor usage. Apigee is a fuller API management platform with more advanced features for enterprise API programs, such as richer developer portal capabilities, monetization options, and broader policy management. If you mainly need a managed gateway in front of services, Endpoints can fit; if you need enterprise API product management, Apigee is often the better match.
- When should I use Cloud Endpoints?
- Use Cloud Endpoints when you want a managed way to expose services as APIs on Google Cloud and you need common gateway features like authentication (for example, JWT/OAuth via identity providers), quotas/rate limiting, API keys, logging/monitoring, and a stable API front door for microservices. It’s especially practical for mobile backends, internal service-to-service APIs, and teams that want to define APIs with OpenAPI or gRPC and run an API proxy (ESPv2) alongside their services.
- How much does Cloud Endpoints cost?
- Costs depend on the specific Endpoints option and how you deploy it. Cloud Endpoints usage is typically driven by API call volume and related Google Cloud charges (for example, the compute/networking where your backend and proxy run, plus logging/monitoring ingestion). If you run ESPv2 on Cloud Run, GKE, or Compute Engine, you also pay for those resources. Always confirm current pricing in Google Cloud’s pricing pages because rates and free tiers can change.
Category: software
Difficulty: intermediate
Related Terms
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