Microsoft introduces APIOps CLI for Git-based Azure API Management configuration

Microsoft has announced APIOps CLI, an open-source command-line tool for managing Azure API Management (APIM) configuration through Git-based workflows.

The tool extracts configuration from an existing APIM instance into local artifact files, versions those files in Git, supports review through pull requests, and publishes approved artifacts back into API Management environments. It can also scaffold CI/CD pipelines for GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps, and is designed to work alongside Azure CLI, Git, and existing branching strategies.

The project is hosted in the Azure GitHub organization. Its repository includes source code, architecture guidance, command documentation, CI/CD examples, walkthroughs, and troubleshooting guidance.

Microsoft describes the intended workflow as: extract configuration, commit it to source control, review changes through pull requests, run automated validation and deployment pipelines, and publish approved configuration to target environments. The company positions APIOps CLI as a response to manual configuration changes, environment-specific customizations, and limited visibility into what changed and why. By treating API definitions, policies, products, diagnostics, and gateway configuration as source-controlled artifacts, the tool gives teams a Git history and a common path from development to production.

Common use cases include migrating away from manual APIM administration, standardizing deployments across multiple environments, establishing controlled promotion paths from development to production, implementing governance and compliance requirements, and managing large inventories of APIs and policies. Microsoft also points to self-service API development with centralized governance as a target scenario for platform engineering and API platform teams.

Configuration-as-code means changes can be reviewed the same way code changes are reviewed, and the Git history becomes a record of who changed what and when. The tool is designed to fit within the Git-based workflows teams already use.

Microsoft recommends starting with a non-production environment to establish the workflow, validate governance processes, and allow teams to become familiar with the configuration-as-code model before moving toward broader adoption. The APIOps CLI repository is available on GitHub.