Which component is the API Gateway point of control?

• A. Determines which traffic is authorized to pass through the API to backend services, meters traffic, logs transactions, and applies runtime policies such as rate limiting, throttling, and caching.
• B. Runtime designed and optimized to host an API or open a connection to an API deployed to another runtime.
• C. Manage access to API proxies, define SLA tiers and apply runtime policies.
• D. Defines the number of requests that can be made per time frame to an API.

Answer: (A)

The API Gateway is the central control point for API traffic. It sits in front of backend services and enforces security and governance at the boundary, deciding which requests are allowed to pass through. It handles authentication and authorization, and it applies runtime policies such as rate limiting, throttling, and caching. It also meters traffic and logs transactions, providing visibility and enforcement of how APIs are used.

Other components described relate to different roles: a runtime designed to host or connect to APIs focuses on hosting or bridging APIs, the management layer handles access to proxies and SLA definitions, and a single rate-limit definition covers only one aspect of policy. The gateway uniquely combines these enforcement and governance functions in one place, making it the true point of control.