> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.apinizer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Glossary

> Definitions of terms and concepts used throughout the Apinizer Management API documentation.

## Terms and Definitions

### API Proxy

A proxy that sits between clients and backend services, providing API management capabilities such as security, transformation, and monitoring.

### Policy

A rule that can be applied to requests, responses, or errors to control behavior, security, transformation, and more.

### Pipeline

The execution flow for policies. There are three pipelines:

* **Request Pipeline**: Executes before forwarding request to backend
* **Response Pipeline**: Executes after receiving response from backend
* **Error Pipeline**: Executes when an error occurs

### Environment

A deployment target where API proxies can be deployed (e.g., production, staging, development).

### Connection

A configuration for connecting to external systems (e.g., databases, message queues, email servers).

### Credential

Authentication information used to access protected resources.

### Certificate

A digital certificate used for SSL/TLS encryption and authentication.

### Deployment

The process of publishing API proxy configurations to an environment.

### Rate Limiting

Controlling the number of requests that can be made within a specified time period.

### Throttling

Limiting the rate of requests to prevent overload.

### Quota

A limit on the total number of requests allowed over a period of time.

### Variable

A reference to data that can be extracted from requests, responses, or context. See [Variable Definition](/api-reference/appendix/variable-definition) for complete documentation.

### Policy Condition

A condition that determines when a policy should be executed.

### Endpoint

A specific path and HTTP method combination in an API proxy.

### Project

A container for API proxies, policies, connections, and other resources.

### RLCL

Rate Limit Control List - A list that defines rate limiting rules for specific credentials or endpoints.

### GeoLocation

Geographic location settings for API proxies.

### mTLS

Mutual TLS - A security protocol where both client and server authenticate each other using certificates.

### OAuth2

An authorization framework for API access.

### OIDC

OpenID Connect - An authentication layer built on top of OAuth2.

### JWT

JSON Web Token - A compact token format for securely transmitting information.

### WS-Security

Web Services Security - Standards for securing SOAP web services.

### SAML

Security Assertion Markup Language - An XML-based standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data.

### JOSE

JSON Object Signing and Encryption - Standards for signing and encrypting JSON data.

### Enum

An enumeration - a fixed set of named values used in API requests and responses. See [Enum Reference](/api-reference/appendix/enum-reference) for complete list.

### Status

Response status indicating success or failure of an operation. Values: `SUCCESS`, `FAILURE`.

### Scope

The range where a policy applies. Values: `ALL` (all endpoints) or `ENDPOINT` (specific endpoint).

### HTTP Method

The HTTP verb used in API requests. Common values: `GET`, `POST`, `PUT`, `DELETE`, `PATCH`, `HEAD`, `OPTIONS`, `TRACE`, `ALL`.

### API Type

The type of API Proxy. Values: `REST`, `SOAP`, `GRPC`, `WEBSOCKET`.

## Related Documentation

* [Enum Reference](/api-reference/appendix/enum-reference) - Complete enumeration reference
* [Variable Definition](/api-reference/appendix/variable-definition) - Variable documentation
* [OpenAPI Spec](/api-reference/appendix/openapi-spec) - OpenAPI specification access