What is a Contract?

A contract relates a client to an API, using a plan. A contract is necessary if a client wants to consume a private API, it cannot be created between a client and a public API. A contract is a link between a client and an API through a plan offered by that API. API contracts can only be created between clients and published APIs which are offered through at least one plan.

When an API contract is created, the system generates a unique API Key. This key is unique per client and the same for all contracts of this client. All requests made to the API by a client through the gateway must include this API Key. The API Key is used to create the runtime policy chain from the policies configured on the API, plan and client.

Finding a Contract

All users can create and manage contracts in the API Developer Portal. If you are looking for the contracts that have been created for your clients, go to tab My Clients in the API Developer Portal. It shows a list of contracts that you have created for APIs, sorted by clients:

If your user not only has Developer Portal permission but is also allowed to access API Management, you can also view existing contracts in the Contracts tab on the clients details page...

... as well as on the APIs details page: