As enterprises increasingly adopt API-led connectivity, managing APIs efficiently becomes a cornerstone for digital transformation. SAP API Management, a part of the SAP Integration Suite, offers robust tools to expose, manage, and monitor APIs. Among these tools, API Graph Configuration plays a pivotal role in simplifying API consumption through the creation of a unified, semantically rich API layer.
API Graph is a feature that allows you to integrate multiple APIs and data sources into a single, navigable graph structure. It abstracts the complexity of different backend systems (e.g., SAP S/4HANA, SAP SuccessFactors, or third-party services) and exposes a unified API endpoint that developers can easily query using GraphQL—a powerful query language designed for APIs.
This approach is particularly beneficial when:
These are the underlying systems or APIs that you want to integrate into the API graph. In SAP API Management, data sources can be RESTful APIs, OData services, or other endpoints.
The schema represents the structure of your API Graph. It defines the types, fields, relationships, and how queries can be formed. SAP allows you to either auto-generate schema from existing APIs or define it manually.
Resolvers are functions that fetch data from the appropriate data source when a particular query is executed. They act as a bridge between the schema and the underlying APIs.
Once the graph is configured, SAP API Management exposes a GraphQL API endpoint, which consumers can query using GraphQL syntax.
Here’s a simplified overview of how to configure API Graph in SAP API Management:
Access the SAP API Management Portal – Navigate to your API portal within the SAP BTP cockpit.
Define Data Sources – Add your backend APIs or services as data sources in the API Management system.
Create API Graph – Go to the “API Graph” section and create a new graph.
Configure Schema – Define the GraphQL schema either by importing from OpenAPI/OData specs or writing custom schema definitions.
Map Resolvers – Link each schema field to its corresponding backend API endpoint using resolvers.
Test & Deploy – Use the built-in GraphQL playground to test queries. Once verified, deploy the API Graph endpoint.
Monitor Usage – Leverage SAP’s analytics tools to track the performance and usage of your GraphQL endpoint.
A company using SAP S/4HANA and SuccessFactors wants to build a dashboard showing employee profiles, including personal data, current project allocations, and payroll information. Traditionally, this would involve multiple REST or OData API calls. With API Graph:
API Graph Configuration in SAP API Management offers a modern, efficient way to orchestrate and expose enterprise data through a unified GraphQL endpoint. It enhances flexibility, performance, and developer productivity—key factors for any enterprise looking to accelerate digital initiatives. As API ecosystems grow, mastering API Graph configuration will become essential for SAP professionals and architects.