Gateway API vs. Ingress API in Kubernetes: A Modern Approach to Traffic Management

Introduction

As Kubernetes continues to evolve, so does the need for more flexible and extensible methods for managing traffic into clusters. Traditionally, the Ingress API has served this role. However, with growing application complexity and multi-tenant environments, its limitations have become apparent. Enter the Gateway API a powerful new standard that aims to overcome these challenges and future-proof Kubernetes networking.

In this article, we’ll compare the Gateway API vs. Ingress API, explore the benefits of Gateway API, and show how it’s shaping the future of Kubernetes traffic management.

What Is the Ingress API in Kubernetes?

The Kubernetes Ingress API allows users to define rules for routing external HTTP(S) traffic to services within a cluster. It’s widely adopted and supported by popular controllers like NGINX and Traefik.

Key Features

• Basic routing using hostnames and paths
• TLS termination support
• Widely supported in many Kubernetes distributions

Limitations

• Limited extensibility for advanced use cases
• Tightly coupled to specific ingress controllers
• Difficult to manage in multi-team or multi-tenant environments

📌 Note: The Ingress API is currently in a “frozen” state, meaning no new major features will be added. Learn more.

Introducing the Gateway API for Kubernetes

The Gateway API is a newer standard developed by the Kubernetes Network SIG. It addresses many of the shortcomings of the Ingress API by introducing a more modular and expressive configuration model.

Key Concepts in Gateway API

• GatewayClass: Defines the type of controller (e.g., GKE, Istio, Kong)
• Gateway: Manages a specific network endpoint (e.g., LoadBalancer or ClusterIP)
• HTTPRoute, TCPRoute, TLSRoute: Define how traffic should be routed based on protocols
• BackendPolicy: Provides policy-based configuration like timeouts and retries

📘 Tip: Gateway API resources follow the same Kubernetes RBAC and CRD conventions, making them easy to adopt.

Gateway API vs. Ingress API: Key Differences

🧠 Insight: Gateway API is designed for large, distributed teams and multi-cloud environments where flexibility and observability are critical.

Benefits of Using Gateway API in Kubernetes

Adopting the Gateway API unlocks several advantages for platform teams and developers alike:

1. Better Security and Access Control: Fine-grained control using Kubernetes RBAC
2. Improved Observability: Integrates with modern telemetry stacks like OpenTelemetry and Prometheus
3. Cleaner Separation of Concerns: Network and application teams can manage configurations independently
4. Future-Proof Architecture: Actively maintained and aligned with industry best practices

🔗 Related Read: How to Secure Kubernetes Workloads with OPA Gatekeeper

Real-World Use Cases of Gateway API

Multi-Tenant Clusters

Assign different Gateways to different teams or namespaces, each with isolated route rules.

Advanced Routing

Implement weighted routing for A/B testing, canary deployments, or gRPC-based microservices.

Hybrid Cloud Connectivity

Use Gateway API to standardize traffic policies across on-prem and cloud clusters.

Getting Started with Gateway API

Here’s how to begin using Gateway API in your Kubernetes cluster:

1. Install the CRDs

kubectl apply -f https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/gateway-api/releases/download/v1.0.0/standard-install.yaml

2. Deploy a GatewayClass

apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: GatewayClass
metadata:
  name: my-gateway-class
spec:
  controllerName: example.net/gateway-controller

3. Create a Gateway

apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Gateway
metadata:
  name: my-gateway
spec:
  gatewayClassName: my-gateway-class
  listeners:
  - name: http
    protocol: HTTP
    port: 80

4. Define HTTP Routes

apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: HTTPRoute
metadata:
  name: my-route
spec:
  parentRefs:
  - name: my-gateway
  rules:
  - matches:
    - path:
        type: PathPrefix
        value: /app
    backendRefs:
    - name: app-service
      port: 80

📚 Documentation: Visit the official Gateway API site for detailed guides and reference.

Challenges and Considerations

While Gateway API is powerful, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Maturity: Not all controllers support every feature yet
• Learning Curve: More complex resource model than Ingress
• Tooling: Fewer integrations compared to Ingress at this stage

✅ However, these gaps are rapidly closing as the ecosystem matures.

Conclusion

The Gateway API for Kubernetes represents a major step forward in traffic management, offering extensibility, observability, and policy control that far surpass what Ingress can provide. While Ingress remains useful for basic routing needs, Gateway API is quickly becoming the preferred choice for modern cloud-native architectures.

If you’re managing multi-tenant environments, deploying across hybrid cloud, or simply need more control over your network layer, now is the time to explore Gateway API.

Call to Action

Ready to take control of your Kubernetes traffic management?

• 🔍 Learn more at the official Gateway API documentation
• 🛠 Try deploying a Gateway in your own cluster
• 💬 Share your feedback and use cases in the Kubernetes community Slack or GitHub discussions

Summary

Article Name

Gateway API vs. Ingress API in Kubernetes: A Modern Approach to Traffic Management

Description

The Gateway API for Kubernetes represents a major step forward in traffic management, offering extensibility, observability, and policy control that far surpass what Ingress can provide. While Ingress remains useful for basic routing needs, Gateway API is quickly becoming the preferred choice for modern cloud-native architectures.

Author

Karthik

Publisher Name

Upnxtblog

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