Glossary
Review the definitions for terms used across Cloudflare’s API Shield documentation.
| Term | Definition |
| API call | Also known as an API request. An API call is a message sent to a server asking an API to provide a service or information. |
| API endpoint | The API endpoint is the location where API calls or requests are fulfilled. API Shield defines endpoints as a host, method, and path tuple. |
| API schema | The API schema defines which API requests are valid based on several request properties like target endpoint, path or query variable format, and HTTP method. |
| JSON web token (JWT) | A common authentication and authorization method used in web applications and APIs. |
| mTLS (mutual TLS) | MTLS is a common security practice that uses client TLS certificates to provide an additional layer of protection, allowing to cryptographically verify the client information. |
| session identifier | A session identifier is a unique number that a website assigns to identify a specific user for the duration of their visit. |
| source endpoint | The source endpoint is the endpoint managed by API Shield in Endpoint Management by its routing feature. |
| target endpoint | The target endpoint is the ultimate destination that a request is sent to by API Shield’s routing feature. |