MuleSoft API Analytics: Harnessing Data to Track API Usage & Performance

This blog has been updated on - January 19, 2024

MuleSoft API analytics is a first-hand rule to study the usage of API data. It is a core strategy to track and improve the performance of APIs connecting internal and third-party enterprise apps.

The global API integration and management segment is thriving over massive data analytics and automation adoption. It's projected to grow at a CAGR of 28% to reach a market value of USD 49.9 billion by 2032.

Building secure and robust APIs drives business agility across data-driven networks and infrastructures connecting apps on the cloud and on-premises. Implementing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) is simple for developers, but monitoring their traffic, usage, and performance couldn't be.

Wondering how analytics can improve APIs? Read on and find out.

What is API Analytics?

Let's first give you a brief on API analytics.

We know that APIs connect and share data across integrated enterprise apps and software used within an organization. They interlink multiple sources or databases available to different departments, developers, and third-party clients.

API analytics is a process to view and interpret the information shared within API proxies. It involves a standard method of visualizing downloadable data insights and reports comprising informative graphs and charts.

API analytics generates metrics to observe API traffic and learn how efficiently they contribute to business operations. That allows enterprises to:

• Track the API traffic trends and patterns over time.

• Determine the most popular API methods used for apps and database integration.

• Analyze the speed of API response time for further improvements.

• Get geographical details of the highest API traffic value.

What is MuleSoft API Analytics?

Enterprises use MuleSoft to integrate their internal programs or software and implement data science for API monitoring and management.

It's an ongoing process of capturing, viewing, and interpreting API data for optimization.

The advantage of MuleSoft API analytics is not limited to business owners. Most app developers, API teams, and operations (Ops) staff use big data and API analytics to optimize their internal processes.

API analytics in MuleSoft Anypoint can be enabled using API Provider Analytics and API Consumer Analytics.

API Provider Analytics

Companies adopting MuleSoft API-led connectivity must track API traffic and performance metrics more frequently.

Anypoint platform gives access to API provider analytics for developers. The more comprehensive API network comprises a more significant number of consumers or app developers needing MuleSoft API monitoring.

Here is an approach to implementing API provider analytics on the developer portal:

• Developers using MuleSoft for API integration must register their apps on the API portal first. Next, they're required to request access to their application on the portal.

• Once requested, the API manager will notify developers to share some critical credentials of the application, including Name, Description, and app URL.

• Developers can use their apps to call APIs once the access requests get approved. They can also view and edit the API information besides requesting API access.

• Now, one can check three significant metrics: Requests, Performance, and Success & Blocked.

API Consumer Analytics

Both application owners and developers can rely on API metrics to manage their apps proficiently.

It contributes to the following aspects of MuleSoft API analytics for consumers:

• To compare the API metrics to the Service Level Access agreements (SLA) and take necessary actions immediately.

• To analyze API response time and its impact on the app's responsiveness so that the issue can be escalated to the API provider.

• To determine the most-called APIs in real-time and troubleshoot issues arising from API errors.

• To monetize APIs by giving consumers a real-time view of API usage and performance metrics. App developers and owners can collaborate with data experts to use data visualization analytics for API monitoring.

Benefits of MuleSoft API Performance Analytics

Product managers and enterprise app owners must analyze APIs to improve performance. They get analytical insights to identify trends and take reasonable actions against uncertainties.

Let's uncover some other advantages of MuleSoft API Analytics:

Analyze API Performance

From detecting errors to monitoring API performance, latency, and compliance, you will get a complete package of API management solutions from MuleSoft-certified experts.

Users get real-time insights into API metrics through visual graphs over prebuilt charts.

Get User Behavior Insights

Zoom into the metrics outlining how users are interacting with your API programs.

With MuleSoft customer data analytics for API, product managers can track key specifications of API usage, traffic, response time, status codes, methods, etc.

Upon noting these API metrics, you acquire deep insights into consumer behavior and requirements. That will help you improve user experience and satisfaction.

Ensure Compliance with Quality and Security Standards

The cases of non-conformance to security & standard guidelines arise due to variations in API design styles.

MuleSoft API analytics tools give a holistic view of APIs not adhering to the mandate policies and alert developers to fix them.

Analyze Key API Analytics Trends

Companies can also conduct critical API analyses to monitor and manage their investments.

As a result, they get API-level metrics to see valuable trends reflecting latency, issues, and performance indicators.

Best MuleSoft API Analytics Practices

Check out the most recommended API analytics techniques by MuleSoft-certified developers at BluEnt.

Keep Previous API Analytics Insights Ready

Getting historical insights into your API trends and patterns will get you valuable data for a specific period.

Let's say you have been tracking that your APIs are getting so many requests for a while. Based on those insights, you can add more support to your APIs.

Review Pre and Post Metrics of Changed APIs

MuleSoft API analytics help you review API performance when some alterations or modifications are being made.

After deploying API changes, one can also test response time to ensure that the responsiveness of APIs in the MuleSoft ecosystem only gets better.

Get a Tool to Overlay Both Metrics

With different types of data analytics for MuleSoft APIs, getting a tool to compare one metric with other metrics can bring actionable insights to you.'

For example, you can overlay the response times metric with other API performance metrics to identify and resolve underlying issues.

Conduct Analytics for New APIs

Keeping your new APIs in check with API providers is more than necessary. Whether it's about API monitoring or analytics, you must prioritize the new API's behavioral metrics.

It's better to discuss the API behavior with their owners and monitor them to add adjustments accordingly.

Leverage Analytics Dashboards and Reports

Using data visualization in API analytics is one of the popular data analytics trends to leverage in your strategy.

API developers and owners can view dashboards and reports in real-time and in graphical format.

Detect and Track Anomalies

Identifying anomalies relating to API performance, response time, and privacy makes it easier with API analytics on MuleSoft.

One can keep an eye on changing patterns and trends to monitor further and control unforeseen challenges in the API improvements.

Why Choose BluEnt as your MuleSoft Partner for Enterprise App Management?

API analytics is an integral strategy for smoothly integrating and managing integrated apps or software within an enterprise.

While MuleSoft is emerging among the top-tier enterprise integration platforms, we at BluEnt have mastered the disciplines of database integration, migration, design, and development.

BluEnt is globally recognized for its unparalleled excellence in business consulting, CAD engineering, and IT solutions, with 20+ years of market presence.

Our enterprise data analytics offerings include data engineering services, data science solutions, and data visualization services.

Let our MuleSoft-certified experts meet your API needs to ensure better performance and business outcomes. Get in touch today. See our portfolio to find our recent work and ongoing projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can enterprises review API analytics usage on MuleSoft?

Organizations running their internal and external application on MuleSoft can view their API analytics data on- API Manager and Anypoint Monitoring.

API Manager stores API analytics data for 30 days, while Anypoint gives more detailed insights into API usage for a retention period of 30 days.

The easiest way to check API analytics on Mule API Manager is as follows:

• Go to Anypoint Platform > API Manager

• Select the Mule API Analytics option

Which technologies support API analytics in MuleSoft?

MuleSoft uses these three significant technologies to enable API analytics:

• Mule API Gateway

• Runtime Analysis

• Dashboards and Reports