Main onboarding information

This section provides an overview of the technical prerequisites, supported environments, and navigation essentials to help you get started quickly and effectively.
From system requirements and authentication options to a detailed look at the interface layout, you’ll find all the information needed to set up your environment and begin managing your APIs and applications within ApiShare

Login

To access ApiShare, users must first log in using one of the supported authentication methods.

• Standard Login: Use your username and password.

• SSO (Single Sign-On): Available for organizations that require centralized access control.

⚠ Note: If you log in via SSO, your email and username cannot be modified. For support, contact your ApiShare administrator.

Once logged in, users are redirected to the ApiShare homepage, which provides quick access to essential functionalities.

Homepage Overview

The homepage features the following key sections (layout may vary depending on your instance configuration):

• High-Level KPI Board
  Displays real-time metrics abouot your API ecosystem:

  • Total Products published and visible in the API catalog.

  • Total Assets in the API catalog.

  • Total Active Applications visible in the APP catalog.

  • Total Groups, Organizations, and Users in the API program ecosystem.

• APIs & Applications Categories Overview
  Displays API Products, API Assets, and Applications, based on your instance configuration.

• Future Features Preview
  Highlights upcoming functionalities planned for ApiShare.

Top Menu Bar

The top menu bar provides quick access to key user actions:

• Quick Actions:

  • Create a new API or Application.

  • Request to join an organization.

• Notification Panel:

  • View notifications.

  • Pin and configure alerts based on your profile settings.

• User Account Overview:

  • View username, name, and email.

  • Check organizations and groups you are part of.

Side Menu Bar

The Side Menu Bar in ApiShare provides quick access to the platform’s core functionalities. It is located on the left side of the interface and can be expanded or collapsed using the designated button.

The main sections available in the side menu are:

• Home Page

  • Redirects users to the homepage for key insights and previews.

• API Catalog

  • Provides access to the API Catalog, which stores all available APIs within the organization.

• APP Catalog

  • Lists all active Applications registered on the platform.

• Workspace

  • A dedicated area where users can manage ApiShare entities (i.e. APIs, applications, subscriptions).

• Organizations

  • Allows users to manage organizational structures, internal teams, and external consumers.

• Documentation

  • Provides access to general documentation, including for example user guides, API guidelines, and best practices for API governance.

• Administration

  • Reserved for users with administrative privileges to configure platform settings, manage policies, and define governance rules.

API Catalog

The API Catalog stores all available APIs in your organization.

Searching APIs

• Use the multifunction search bar with free-text search.

• Apply filters by clicking on the searchbar (i.e. API owner, developer, organization, group, category, tags).

• If the instance separates Products and Assets, a master filter lets you switch views.

API Details

Each API entry contains:

• Description: Purpose and functionality.

• Lifecycle Status: Current stage, deployment history, and upcoming changes.

• Testing Capabilities: OpenAPI definition and Swagger interface for testing.

• Deployment Information: Availability across deployment environments.

• Technical Details: API specifications.

• Subscription & Usage: Consumer and provider applications.

APP Catalog

The Application Catalog lists all active applications.

Searching Applications

• Use the search bar with free-text search.

• Apply filters by clicking on the searchbar (i.e. owner, developer, responsible group, consumed/exposed APIs, tags, categories).

Application Details

Each Application entry contains:

• Description: High-level overview of the application’s function.

• Lifecycle Status: Readiness to consume or expose APIs.

• Contact Persons: Support contacts.

• Exposed and Consumed APIs: APIs linked to the application.

⚠ Note:
If your tenant is configured in Product-Only Mode, Assets are not visible.

Workspace

The Workspace is the operational hub for managing your API and APP entities. It provides:

• A consolidated view of all entities a user owns or can act upon.

• Access to create, edit, and manage APIs, Applications, and Subscriptions.

• Filtering capabilities to search and organize entries by environment, status, and ownership.

Users can perform governance actions (e.g., promote an API to production, suspend a subscription) based on their roles and permissions.

Organizations

The Organizations section lets users:

• View and manage the structure of internal teams and external consumers.

• Register new organizations or groups.

• Configure organization-level access rules and define associations with APIs and Applications.

This is also the place where governance ownership (e.g., Provider vs. Consumer roles) is defined.

Documentation

The Documentation section centralizes all reference and support material. It might include:

• User Guides to help navigate platform features.

• API Guidelines and governance best practices.

• Methodologies such as the ApiShare API Governance Framework.

• Change logs, version updates, and known limitations.

This section is meant to support both onboarding and daily operations.

Administration

The Administration area is reserved for users with elevated privileges. It provides access to platform-level configuration settings, including:

• API Program Taxonomy (categories, tags)

• Role and permission management

• Notification Management

• Entities dynamic attributes definitions

Visibility & Access Control

• Internal Users: Have full access into their workspace to all APIs owned by their organizations and groups in their tenant.

• Both Internal & External Users: Can only access explicitly granted APIs on the API Catalog.

• Asset Visibility:

  • External users cannot see API Assets.

  • Internal users can see both Products and Assets.

First Steps: Setting Up Your Environment

To start using ApiShare effectively, new users should perform the following setup actions:

1. Define your initial configuration or chose the default one:

   • Set up your ApiShare environment.
     This process can be performed with the support of our team, leveraging the ApiShare API Governance Framework to ensure a solid and scalable setup.

2. Define Organization Structure

   • Set up internal teams and external consumers.

   • Assign administrators, developers, and API consumers with appropriate permissions.

3. Configure your processes

   • Define subscription approval workflows.

   • Set up API & APP lifecycle (versioning, deprecation rules, etc.)

   • Define access control rules for default API & Documentation visibility.
     Our team can assist you with process configuration, also leveraging the ApiShare API Governance Framework to align with industry best practices.

4. Create your First Application & Onboard Your First API:
   Start using ApiShare by registering your first application and publishing your first API.

Prerequisites and System Requirements

• Supported Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge (latest versions).

• Authentication Methods: Access with username/password, Single Sign-On (SSO) available on request.

• API Gateway Integrations: See the section on available standard connectors for detailed integration options.

• DevOps Compatibility: Compatible with major DevOps tools for seamless integration.