---
name: azure-mgmt-apimanagement-dotnet
description: Azure Resource Manager SDK for API Management in .NET.
risk: critical
source: community
date_added: '2026-02-27'
---
## Bundled upstream support

Supporting files are included at skill-relative paths. See [UPSTREAM-NOTICE.md](UPSTREAM-NOTICE.md) for their pinned sources, licenses, hashes, and import changes.

## Supporting material availability

These paths remain unavailable in this catalog copy:

- `<support-root>/references/policies.md`

Do not invoke a step that requires one of these files. Obtain the original material and review its dependencies, license, and effects before use. Independent inline steps and the bundled helpers can proceed within the user’s authorized scope.

# Azure.ResourceManager.ApiManagement (.NET)

Management plane SDK for provisioning and managing Azure API Management resources via Azure Resource Manager.

> **⚠️ Management vs Data Plane**
> - **This SDK (Azure.ResourceManager.ApiManagement)**: Create services, APIs, products, subscriptions, policies, users, groups
> - **Data Plane**: Direct API calls to your APIM gateway endpoints

## Installation

```bash
dotnet add package Azure.ResourceManager.ApiManagement
dotnet add package Azure.Identity
```

**Current Version**: v1.3.0

## Environment Variables

```bash
AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID=<your-subscription-id>
# For service principal auth (optional)
AZURE_TENANT_ID=<tenant-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_ID=<client-id>
AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET=<client-secret>
```

## Authentication

```csharp
using Azure.Identity;
using Azure.ResourceManager;
using Azure.ResourceManager.ApiManagement;

// Always use DefaultAzureCredential
var credential = new DefaultAzureCredential();
var armClient = new ArmClient(credential);

// Get subscription
var subscriptionId = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID");
var subscription = armClient.GetSubscriptionResource(
    new ResourceIdentifier($"/subscriptions/{subscriptionId}"));
```

## Resource Hierarchy

```
ArmClient
└── SubscriptionResource
    └── ResourceGroupResource
        └── ApiManagementServiceResource
            ├── ApiResource
            │   ├── ApiOperationResource
            │   │   └── ApiOperationPolicyResource
            │   ├── ApiPolicyResource
            │   ├── ApiSchemaResource
            │   └── ApiDiagnosticResource
            ├── ApiManagementProductResource
            │   ├── ProductApiResource
            │   ├── ProductGroupResource
            │   └── ProductPolicyResource
            ├── ApiManagementSubscriptionResource
            ├── ApiManagementPolicyResource
            ├── ApiManagementUserResource
            ├── ApiManagementGroupResource
            ├── ApiManagementBackendResource
            ├── ApiManagementGatewayResource
            ├── ApiManagementCertificateResource
            ├── ApiManagementNamedValueResource
            └── ApiManagementLoggerResource
```

## Core Workflow

### 1. Create API Management Service

```csharp
using Azure.ResourceManager.ApiManagement;
using Azure.ResourceManager.ApiManagement.Models;

// Get resource group
var resourceGroup = await subscription
    .GetResourceGroupAsync("my-resource-group");

// Define service
var serviceData = new ApiManagementServiceData(
    location: AzureLocation.EastUS,
    sku: new ApiManagementServiceSkuProperties(
        ApiManagementServiceSkuType.Developer, 
        capacity: 1),
    publisherEmail: "admin@contoso.com",
    publisherName: "Contoso");

// Create service (long-running operation - can take 30+ minutes)
var serviceCollection = resourceGroup.Value.GetApiManagementServices();
var operation = await serviceCollection.CreateOrUpdateAsync(
    WaitUntil.Completed,
    "my-apim-service",
    serviceData);

ApiManagementServiceResource service = operation.Value;
```

### 2. Create an API

```csharp
var apiData = new ApiCreateOrUpdateContent
{
    DisplayName = "My API",
    Path = "myapi",
    Protocols = { ApiOperationInvokableProtocol.Https },
    ServiceUri = new Uri("https://backend.contoso.com/api")
};

var apiCollection = service.GetApis();
var apiOperation = await apiCollection.CreateOrUpdateAsync(
    WaitUntil.Completed,
    "my-api",
    apiData);

ApiResource api = apiOperation.Value;
```

### 3. Create a Product

```csharp
var productData = new ApiManagementProductData
{
    DisplayName = "Starter",
    Description = "Starter tier with limited access",
    IsSubscriptionRequired = true,
    IsApprovalRequired = false,
    SubscriptionsLimit = 1,
    State = ApiManagementProductState.Published
};

var productCollection = service.GetApiManagementProducts();
var productOperation = await productCollection.CreateOrUpdateAsync(
    WaitUntil.Completed,
    "starter",
    productData);

ApiManagementProductResource product = productOperation.Value;

// Add API to product
await product.GetProductApis().CreateOrUpdateAsync(
    WaitUntil.Completed,
    "my-api");
```

### 4. Create a Subscription

```csharp
var subscriptionData = new ApiManagementSubscriptionCreateOrUpdateContent
{
    DisplayName = "My Subscription",
    Scope = $"/products/{product.Data.Name}",
    State = ApiManagementSubscriptionState.Active
};

var subscriptionCollection = service.GetApiManagementSubscriptions();
var subOperation = await subscriptionCollection.CreateOrUpdateAsync(
    WaitUntil.Completed,
    "my-subscription",
    subscriptionData);

ApiManagementSubscriptionResource subscription = subOperation.Value;

// Get subscription keys
var keys = await subscription.GetSecretsAsync();
Console.WriteLine($"Primary Key: {keys.Value.PrimaryKey}");
```

### 5. Set API Policy

```csharp
var policyXml = @"
<policies>
    <inbound>
        <rate-limit calls=""100"" renewal-period=""60"" />
        <set-header name=""X-Custom-Header"" exists-action=""override"">
            <value>CustomValue</value>
        </set-header>
        <base />
    </inbound>
    <backend>
        <base />
    </backend>
    <outbound>
        <base />
    </outbound>
    <on-error>
        <base />
    </on-error>
</policies>";

var policyData = new PolicyContractData
{
    Value = policyXml,
    Format = PolicyContentFormat.Xml
};

await api.GetApiPolicy().CreateOrUpdateAsync(
    WaitUntil.Completed,
    policyData);
```

### 6. Backup and Restore

```csharp
// Backup
var backupParams = new ApiManagementServiceBackupRestoreContent(
    storageAccount: "mystorageaccount",
    containerName: "apim-backups",
    backupName: "backup-2024-01-15")
{
    AccessType = StorageAccountAccessType.SystemAssignedManagedIdentity
};

await service.BackupAsync(WaitUntil.Completed, backupParams);

// Restore
await service.RestoreAsync(WaitUntil.Completed, backupParams);
```

## Key Types Reference

| Type | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `ArmClient` | Entry point for all ARM operations |
| `ApiManagementServiceResource` | Represents an APIM service instance |
| `ApiManagementServiceCollection` | Collection for service CRUD |
| `ApiResource` | Represents an API |
| `ApiManagementProductResource` | Represents a product |
| `ApiManagementSubscriptionResource` | Represents a subscription |
| `ApiManagementPolicyResource` | Service-level policy |
| `ApiPolicyResource` | API-level policy |
| `ApiManagementUserResource` | Represents a user |
| `ApiManagementGroupResource` | Represents a group |
| `ApiManagementBackendResource` | Represents a backend service |
| `ApiManagementGatewayResource` | Represents a self-hosted gateway |

## SKU Types

| SKU | Purpose | Capacity |
|-----|---------|----------|
| `Developer` | Development/testing (no SLA) | 1 |
| `Basic` | Entry-level production | 1-2 |
| `Standard` | Medium workloads | 1-4 |
| `Premium` | High availability, multi-region | 1-12 per region |
| `Consumption` | Serverless, pay-per-call | N/A |

## Best Practices

1. **Use `WaitUntil.Completed`** for operations that must finish before proceeding
2. **Use `WaitUntil.Started`** for long operations like service creation (30+ min)
3. **Always use `DefaultAzureCredential`** — never hardcode keys
4. **Handle `RequestFailedException`** for ARM API errors
5. **Use `CreateOrUpdateAsync`** for idempotent operations
6. **Navigate hierarchy** via `Get*` methods (e.g., `service.GetApis()`)
7. **Policy format** — Use XML format for policies; JSON is also supported
8. **Service creation** — Developer SKU is fastest for testing (~15-30 min)

## Error Handling

```csharp
using Azure;

try
{
    var operation = await serviceCollection.CreateOrUpdateAsync(
        WaitUntil.Completed, serviceName, serviceData);
}
catch (RequestFailedException ex) when (ex.Status == 409)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Service already exists");
}
catch (RequestFailedException ex) when (ex.Status == 400)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Bad request: {ex.Message}");
}
catch (RequestFailedException ex)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"ARM Error: {ex.Status} - {ex.ErrorCode}: {ex.Message}");
}
```

## Reference Files

| File | When to Read |
|------|--------------|
| references/service-management.md | Service CRUD, SKUs, networking, backup/restore |
| references/apis-operations.md | APIs, operations, schemas, versioning |
| references/products-subscriptions.md | Products, subscriptions, access control |
| references/policies.md | Policy XML patterns, scopes, common policies |

## Related Resources

| Resource | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| [API Management Documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/api-management/) | Official Azure docs |
| [Policy Reference](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/api-management/api-management-policies) | Complete policy reference |
| [SDK Reference](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/azure.resourcemanager.apimanagement) | .NET API reference |

## When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

## Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.