The correct sequence follows the standard API lifecycle management process in IBM API Connect. First, an API must be created or defined. This API is then bundled into a Product, which acts as a container for one or more APIs intended for a specific use case. To make the Product available for consumption, it must be published to a Catalog. A consumer then registers an Application in the Developer Portal, which generates client credentials. Finally, this Application is subscribed to a plan within the published Product to gain access to the API.

1. IBM API Connect v10.x Documentation

"Tutorial: Importing and publishing your first API": This official tutorial outlines the initial steps of the provider workflow. It explicitly guides the user to first import an API definition

then add the API to a new Product

and finally publish that Product to a catalog. This confirms the first three steps in the sequence.

2. IBM API Connect v10.x Documentation

"Tutorial: Registering an application and subscribing to an API": This tutorial details the consumer workflow

which follows the provider actions. It instructs the user to first create an Application in the Developer Portal and then subscribe that application to the previously published Product to consume the API. This confirms the final two steps.

3. IBM API Connect v10.x Documentation

"Products": This section clarifies the relationship between APIs and Products

stating

"A Product is a group of APIs that is packaged together... You use Products to control which APIs are available to application developers." This supports the logic that an API must exist before it can be packaged into a Product.