# API autodiscovery and deployment identity

*MuleSoft Developer II Study Guide · Expose production-ready Anypoint Platform-managed APIs from Mule applications · Last updated November 7, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-developer-ii/expose-production-ready-anypoint-platform-managed-apis-from-mule-applications/api-autodiscovery-and-deployment-identity*

Bind a deployed Mule application to the intended API instance and HTTP entry flow. Separate platform credentials from API client credentials, preserve environment-specific identity during promotion, and diagnose policy synchronization at startup.

- Certification: Salesforce MuleSoft Developer II
- Exam section: Expose production-ready Anypoint Platform-managed APIs from Mule applications
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/mulesoft-developer-ii

**Official exam objective:**

> Code API implementations to perform API auto-discovery.

## What the exam expects

- Connect the correct API instance, runtime credentials and HTTP entry flow.
- Promote one application artifact while supplying environment-specific API identity.
- Distinguish basic endpoints from autogenerated proxy endpoints.
- Predict startup blocking, cached-policy fallback and malformed-policy failures.
- Confirm pairing with runtime and API Manager evidence rather than a successful HTTP call alone.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime/API link | Autodiscovery obtains policies/configuration and generates analytics. | [Overview](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-autodiscovery-overview.adoc) |
| Scoped credentials | One environment's credentials do not manage every environment. | [Credentials](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-org-credentials-mule4.adoc) |
| Promotion | Supply the destination instance ID to the configured placeholder. | [Configuration](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-config-autodiscovery-mule4.adoc) |
| Tracked flow | A shared archive alone does not pair every listener flow. | [Configuration](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-config-autodiscovery-mule4.adoc) |
| Startup failure | Lost connectivity and malformed policy are different diagnoses. | [Gatekeeper](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-gatekeeper.adoc) |
| Automatic proxy | Generated element and deployment-supplied credentials are separate conveniences. | [Overview](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-autodiscovery-overview.adoc), [Credentials](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-org-credentials-mule4.adoc) |

## Check yourself

- Why can automatic Runtime Manager agent registration affect persistent standalone configuration?
- When adapting a Mule 3 example that uses `api-platform-gw:api`, which Mule 4 element name replaces it?
- What Studio tab and action create the API Autodiscovery configuration?

## Sources

- [API Autodiscovery, February 2024 official source](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-autodiscovery-overview.adoc)
- [Mule 4 Autodiscovery Configuration, February 2024 official source](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-config-autodiscovery-mule4.adoc)
- [Organization Credentials, February 2024 official source](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-org-credentials-mule4.adoc)
- [Gatekeeper, February 2024 official source](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mulesoft/docs-gateway/e2b1e79085235d8963c0c5a0e390a9456b2a6f03/mule-gateway/modules/ROOT/pages/mule-gateway-gatekeeper.adoc)
- [Configuring Properties, Mule 4.6](https://docs.mulesoft.com/mule-runtime/4.6/configuring-properties)
- [Tracking Requests with Autodiscovery](https://docs.mulesoft.com/anypoint-code-builder/int-autodiscovery-config)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 8 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the MuleSoft Developer II pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams