API management is the process of creating, publishing, documenting, and managing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in a secure and scalable environment. It involves the following key aspects:

1. API creation: Design and development of APIs that expose back-end systems and data.

2. API Gateway: Acts as a reverse proxy to manage inbound API traffic, including security, traffic management, and caching.

3. API Publishing: The process of making APIs available to developers, partners, and internal stakeholders.

4. API Security: Ensuring that APIs and the data they access are secure through measures such as authentication, authorization, and encryption.

5. API Monitoring: Keeping track of API usage and performance to ensure they are working as expected.

6. API Documentation: Detailed documentation of APIs, including how to use them, what they do, and what data they return.

The goal of API management is to enable organizations to securely expose their assets and data to internal and external developers in a controlled and scalable manner.