An API endpoint is a web address for calling a particular function over a network, usually with HTTP. Send it the required arguments, and you get a result. An API groups these callable functions so applications can communicate without a user interface. For example, a partner application might use an endpoint to access an NFT image from a web shop. section 8.1 section 8.6
In Azure, the address is only part of the job: something must handle the request, and callers need to know what to send.
- Import a Function App into API Management to expose its Azure Functions as endpoints. Select a method such as GET to inspect an endpoint’s URL and required parameters. section 8.4.4
- Test an endpoint in API Management by entering its template parameter and sending a request. In the NFT-image example, the filename identifies the image, and the Function copies it to a blob container. section 8.4.4
- To expose a Logic App through API Management, give it an HTTP endpoint. A workflow triggered only by a new blob does not meet that requirement. section 8.4.5
C:/> az rest --method post
--url "https://banningBooksCompVision.cognitiveservices.azure.com/
vision/v4.0/analyze?visualFeatures=Tags,Description"
--headers "Ocp-Apim-Subscription-Key=<your-key>"
"Content-Type=application/json" –body
'{"url":"https://myblob.blob.core.windows.net/covers/cover.jpg"}'
This REST request calls a Computer Vision analysis endpoint directly. The URL selects the analysis operation and requested features; a resource key authenticates the call, and the JSON body supplies an image URL. section 7.3.1
An endpoint can also serve a deployed AI model. After fine-tuning on labeled examples, deploy the model to make it available for real-time inference. Choosing what to deploy means weighing response quality, latency, and cost; monitoring a production model is a further step. section 7.4.4 section 7.4.3
Before calling an endpoint finished, check its dependencies and access. An image-copy request can fail if its linked blob containers do not exist. An HTTP-triggered Logic App also raises the question of authenticating incoming requests—publicly reachable is not the same as ready for everyone to use. section 8.4.4 section 8.4.5
