API Declarative CLI (ADC)

API Declarative CLI (ADC) manages Apache APISIX configuration from local YAML or JSON files.

This document introduces how ADC fits into Apache APISIX configuration management. For installation instructions, command usage, configuration format, OpenAPI conversion, and additional ADC reference material, see the ADC documentation.

Manage Configuration as Code

Use ADC when Apache APISIX configuration should be managed as code instead of through individual Admin API calls. ADC works with local declarative files that describe the desired gateway state, then compares those files with the running gateway before changes are applied.

This workflow helps teams:

• Review and audit gateway configuration changes through version control.
• Promote the same configuration across environments.
• Preview create, update, and delete operations before syncing.
• Export existing gateway configuration as a baseline for future changes.

ADC is well suited for APISIX deployments that run outside Kubernetes or for teams that manage gateway configuration through CI/CD pipelines.

How ADC Works with Apache APISIX

ADC connects to Apache APISIX through the Admin API and applies declarative configuration to the gateway. This lets teams manage routes, services, upstreams, consumers, plugins, and other gateway resources through files instead of manual API requests.

Before applying changes, ADC can check local files, ask the backend to validate resources, and show the difference between the local desired state and the running gateway. This makes configuration changes easier to review before they reach APISIX.

For details beyond Apache APISIX connection setup, refer to the ADC documentation.