Products
Add APIs and choose coupling
Open a plan's APIs tab, choose Gateway-bound or Catalog-bound, and add APIs. Your choice sets whether rate limits apply and how access is secured. A missing coupling or gateway API blocks publishing, not saving.
You add APIs to a plan on its APIs tab. At the top of the tab you choose how the plan is coupled. Coupling decides whether the plan runs on one gateway with rate limits, or draws APIs from your API Catalog across gateways.
What do Gateway-bound and Catalog-bound mean?
They are the two coupling modes, shown as cards at the top of the APIs tab. Your choice sets where the APIs come from, whether rate limits apply, and how access is secured.
| Mode | APIs come from | Rate limits | Access control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway-bound | One API gateway | Available | Handled by the gateway, plus scopes when an Authorization Server is configured |
| Catalog-bound | The API Catalog, across one or more gateways | Not available | Scope-based, when an Authorization Server is configured |
The dashboard describes Gateway-bound as tightly coupled to a single API gateway, which enables rate limits and usage analytics through that gateway. It describes Catalog-bound as loosely coupled across gateways: you can package many APIs, but rate limits and built-in usage analytics are not available.
The cards appear when scope-based access control is enabled for your account. What if my APIs tab has no coupling cards?
How do I add APIs and choose coupling?
Open the plan, go to the APIs tab, pick a coupling card, then add the APIs. Save the plan when you are done.
- Open your product, open the plan, and select the APIs tab.
- At the top, choose Gateway-bound or Catalog-bound. Until you do, the tab says Choose a coupling mode above to select APIs.
- For Gateway-bound, select the gateway, then add its APIs to the plan.
- For Catalog-bound, add APIs from the API Catalog. They can come from more than one gateway.
- Choose Save Changes on the plan.
If your account has no gateway connected, Catalog-bound is selected for you, because it is the only option. The Gateway-bound card then shows a Connect an API Gateway → link.
An API has to be in the API Catalog before a Catalog-bound plan can include it.
What does each mode unlock or disable?
Picking a mode changes the rest of the plan. Gateway-bound turns on rate limits. Catalog-bound turns them off and relies on scopes for access.
- Gateway-bound binds every API in the plan to one gateway and enables the Limits tab for rate limits.
- Catalog-bound clears the gateway binding, disables the Limits tab, and lets the plan hold APIs from across your catalog.
- Either mode supports scope-based access control once an Authorization Server is configured. The note under the cards says so, with a Configure an Authorization Server → link when none is connected.
On a Catalog-bound plan with no Authorization Server, the card shows Currently: Documentation-only: the plan describes APIs in your API Portal but is not an enforced access boundary. With an Authorization Server, it shows Currently: Scope-enforced. See Scopes for how scope-based access control works.
How do I switch a plan's coupling?
Click the other card. On an empty plan the switch is immediate. On a plan that already has a gateway, rate limits or APIs, a confirmation opens so you can see what changes before you commit.
The confirmation is titled Switch to Catalog-bound? or Switch to Gateway-bound?. It previews the Gateway binding, Rate limits and APIs before and after. Switching to Catalog-bound detaches the gateway and clears rate limits. Gateway-sourced APIs are dropped, because Catalog-bound plans hold catalog APIs only, and the preview shows the new API count. Confirm with Switch, then choose Save Changes.
Coupling cannot change while the plan has active or pending subscriptions. Create a new plan version instead. See Anatomy of a plan.
What blocks publishing a plan from the APIs tab?
A missing coupling, or a Gateway-bound plan with no API from its gateway. Neither stops you saving. Both disable Confirm & Publish this version on the Publish tab, and hovering the button shows the reason.
The messages read "Choose a coupling mode to save this plan." and "Add at least one API from the selected gateway to save this plan." Despite the wording, the plan saves; it is publishing that waits until you fix the APIs tab. See Why can't I publish or activate this plan?.
What if my APIs tab has no coupling cards?
Your account does not have scope-based access control enabled, so the tab shows the earlier layout. You pick a gateway and its APIs, and Apiable treats the plan as Gateway-bound.
When an Authorization Server and a gateway are both connected, the tab first asks you to choose From API Gateway or From API Catalog. With an Authorization Server and no gateway, it reads Select APIs from the API Catalog:. A plan holds APIs from one source at a time.
Troubleshooting
Match what the tab shows to the fix.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Choose a coupling mode above to select APIs. | Pick Gateway-bound or Catalog-bound at the top of the APIs tab. |
| Confirm & Publish this version is disabled with "Choose a coupling mode to save this plan." | Pick a coupling on the APIs tab. You can save meanwhile. |
| Confirm & Publish this version is disabled with "Add at least one API from the selected gateway to save this plan." | On a Gateway-bound plan, add at least one API that belongs to the selected gateway. |
| The Gateway-bound card is dashed and shows Connect an API Gateway → | No gateway is connected. Connect one, or use Catalog-bound. |
| The Limits tab is greyed out with "Rate limits are not available for Catalog-bound plans. Switch to Gateway-bound on the APIs tab to configure rate limits." | Switch the plan to Gateway-bound to enable rate limits. |
| A no scopes badge lists APIs on the tab | Those APIs have no OAuth scopes assigned. Open the Access Control tab to assign scopes. |
| A catalog API disappeared from the plan after saving | Its entry was deleted from the API Catalog, and Apiable removes the dangling reference on save. Add the API again once it is back in the catalog. |
| The APIs tab is read-only | The plan has active or pending subscriptions, or your role cannot manage products. Create a new plan version to change its APIs or coupling. |
Where to next
Assign scopes to a plan
Set each scope to Active, Optional, or Restricted on the Access Control tab.
Anatomy of a plan
The full set of plan tabs, the plan lifecycle, publishing and versioning.
API Catalog
Where Catalog-bound plans get their APIs.
Set rate limits on a plan
Cap throughput per subscriber on Gateway-bound plans.