One of the hardest things to see in an API programme is the trajectory — not just where your APIs are today, but how the portfolio has evolved over time. Which APIs have grown in usage? Which are declining and might be candidates for deprecation? How has your consumer base changed? API Connect v12.1.1 introduces the Usage Evolution Report, purpose-built for answering these questions.

In this article, I’ll explain what the Usage Evolution Report shows, how to access it, what metrics are tracked across time periods, and how to use it to make smarter API portfolio decisions.

Table of Contents

  1. What Is the Usage Evolution Report?
  2. Accessing the Report
  3. Metrics Tracked Across Time Periods
  4. Reading the Report: What You’re Looking At
  5. Practical Use Cases
  6. Using Evolution Data for API Portfolio Decisions
  7. Exporting and Integrating Evolution Data

What Is the Usage Evolution Report?

The Usage Evolution Report is a time-series analytics view in API Connect v12.1.1 that shows how your API programme metrics have changed across defined time periods. Unlike point-in-time reports that show current state, the Evolution Report shows trends — the direction and magnitude of change across APIs, products, plans, applications, and consumer organisations.

Think of it as a “before and after” report for your API programme: where were you 3 months ago, where are you today, and what does that trajectory suggest you should do next.

Accessing the Report

  1. Log into API Manager
  2. Navigate to Analytics → Usage Evolution
  3. Select your time comparison: you can compare:
    • Week over week (current week vs. previous week)
    • Month over month (current month vs. previous month)
    • Quarter over quarter
    • Custom date range (e.g., last 90 days vs. prior 90 days)
  4. Select the scope: All APIs, specific API, specific product, specific plan, or specific consumer org
  5. The report generates with trend visualisations for each tracked dimension

[Screenshot Placeholder: /images/usage-evolution-report-overview.png] The Usage Evolution Report showing API count, application count, and traffic trends over a 90-day window.

Metrics Tracked Across Time Periods

The Usage Evolution Report tracks changes across five core dimensions:

1. APIs

Metric Description
Total APIs published Count of unique API definitions with at least one call in the period
New APIs APIs with first call in the current period (newly active)
Deprecated/retired APIs APIs with no calls in the current period that had calls in the prior period
API versions Count of unique API:version combinations

2. Products

Metric Description
Total products Products with at least one subscription
New products Products with first subscription in the current period
Products with subscriptions Products that have at least one active subscription
Subscription count Total subscription instances

3. Applications

Metric Description
Total applications Applications with at least one API call in the period
New applications Applications making their first API call in the current period
Active applications Applications with calls in both periods (retained)
Churned applications Applications active in prior period with no calls in current period

4. Plans

Metric Description
Subscriptions by plan Count of subscriptions broken down by plan
Traffic by plan Total API calls broken down by plan
Top plans by growth Plans ranked by change in traffic volume

5. Consumer Organisations

Metric Description
Total consumer orgs Consumer orgs with at least one active subscription
New consumer orgs Org onboarding in the current period
Org retention rate Percentage of orgs active in both periods
Top orgs by traffic Consumer orgs ranked by total API calls

Reading the Report: What You’re Looking At

The Usage Evolution Report presents data in two main visualisations:

The Trend Chart

A multi-line chart showing absolute values of selected metrics over time. Each line represents a dimension (APIs, applications, traffic) and you can toggle which to display.

The Comparison Table

A structured table showing the actual numbers for each metric across the two comparison periods, with:

  • Prior period value
  • Current period value
  • Change (absolute)
  • Change (percentage)
  • Trend indicator (↑ growth, ↓ decline, → stable)

Example:

Metric Prior (Q1 2026) Current (Q2 2026) Change % Change
Total APIs 47 52 +5 +10.6% ↑
Active applications 183 201 +18 +9.8% ↑
Total traffic (calls) 12.4M 15.1M +2.7M +21.8% ↑
Consumer orgs 34 38 +4 +11.8% ↑
Products with subscriptions 28 29 +1 +3.6% ↑

Practical Use Cases

Use Case 1: Identifying APIs in Decline

You can use the Usage Evolution Report to identify APIs that are showing declining usage — useful for deprecation planning.

Filter the report to show APIs by traffic volume change and look for APIs with consistent negative trends over multiple periods. An API that has declined 30%+ over two consecutive quarters is a strong candidate for a deprecation conversation with consumers.

Use Case 2: Measuring the Impact of a New Product Launch

Compare the two periods surrounding a new product launch to measure:

  • New subscriptions on the new product
  • New applications calling the new product’s APIs
  • Whether existing applications are also migrating to the new product

Use Case 3: Consumer Org Retention Analysis

Compare the consumer org churn rate period over period. A rising churn rate is an early warning sign — it may indicate:

  • Poor developer experience
  • API quality issues
  • Competitor activity

Use Case 4: Quarterly Business Reviews

Generate the Usage Evolution Report before every QBR (Quarterly Business Review). It gives leadership an instant read on the health and trajectory of the API programme without requiring manual data gathering.

Using Evolution Data for API Portfolio Decisions

The Usage Evolution Report is most valuable when you use the trends to drive action. Here are some decision patterns:

API Deprecation Trigger

IF: API traffic declined >50% over 2 consecutive quarters
AND: No subscriptions created in the last quarter
THEN: Initiate deprecation review with 6-month sunset notice

Capacity Planning Trigger

IF: Traffic growth rate exceeded 30% in a single quarter
AND: No capacity changes were made in the same period
THEN: Review backend capacity and gateway sizing

Consumer Engagement Trigger

IF: New consumer org rate declined for 2 consecutive quarters
AND: Application churn rate increased
THEN: Investigate portal experience and onboarding friction

Exporting and Integrating Evolution Data

For deeper analysis, export the data to CSV or pull it programmatically:

Via CLI

# Export usage evolution data as CSV
apic analytics:usage-evolution \
  --server ${MANAGEMENT_SERVER} \
  --org ${PROVIDER_ORG} \
  --catalog ${CATALOG} \
  --period qoq \
  --format csv \
  --output ./q2-evolution-report.csv

Via REST API

curl -X GET \
  "https://${MANAGEMENT_SERVER}/analytics/api/usage-evolution" \
  -H "authorization: Bearer ${TOKEN}" \
  -H "accept: application/json" \
  -G \
  --data-urlencode "org=${ORG_ID}" \
  --data-urlencode "period=qoq" \
  --data-urlencode "dimensions=apis,applications,traffic,plans,orgs"

The response is a JSON object with time-series arrays for each dimension, suitable for ingestion into a data warehouse or BI tool.

Summary

The Usage Evolution Report in API Connect v12.1.1 gives you the longitudinal view your API programme needs. Whether you’re managing deprecation, planning capacity, reporting to leadership, or understanding consumer behaviour, tracking the evolution of your API portfolio over time transforms raw analytics into strategic intelligence.

Make it a habit to review the Usage Evolution Report at the start of each quarter — you’ll spot trends earlier and make better API portfolio decisions as a result.

Questions or stories about using API analytics for strategic decisions? Find me on Twitter @cminion.