Deploy Gateway API
with Confidence
Traefik delivers industry-leading Kubernetes Gateway API support with 100% conformance, 6+ years of specification contribution, and same-day support for the latest v1.4 release.
TRAEFIK LABS IS TRUSTED BY LEADING ENTERPRISES WORLDWIDE
The Limitations of Kubernetes Ingress are Holding Teams Back
Annotation Hell
- The Ingress spec covers only 20% of real-world needs.
- The remaining 80% requires vendor-specific annotations
- Dozens of provider-specific configurations create maintenance nightmares
- Vendor lock-in through proprietary extensions.
Limited Protocol Support
- HTTP/S only—no TCP, UDP, or gRPC routing.
- Teams are forced to use separate tools for different protocols.
- Increased operational complexity & tooling sprawl.
- No standardized multi-protocol solution.
No Role Separation
- Platform teams & developers work in the same namespace.
- No clear boundaries between infrastructure & application concerns.
- Difficult to establish proper governance.
- Requires cluster-level permissions for basic routing.
Introducing Kubernetes Gateway API
Gateway API is the next-generation standard for Kubernetes traffic management. Born from five years of community collaboration and backed by the Kubernetes SIG-Network, it replaces Ingress with a vendor-neutral, extensible API that handles modern cloud-native networking requirements. Traefik Labs is proud to be a leading contributor to the specification and among the first to deliver production-ready Gateway API support.
Role-Based Resources for Team Collaboration
Gateway API introduces a clear separation between infrastructure operators and application developers through dedicated resources:
GatewayClass & Gateway for cluster operators to manage entry points, listeners, & infrastructure
HTTPRoute, TLSRoute, GRPCRoute for developers to define routing rules independently
Teams work in parallel without conflicts or cluster-level permissions
Establish proper governance boundaries that scale with your organization
Multi-Protocol Support from Day One
Handle all your traffic types through a single, consistent API with full Gateway API support:
HTTP/S with advanced routing, header matching, & traffic weighting
TCP routing for Layer 4 load balancing & non-HTTP workloads
TLS routing for encrypted non-HTTP traffic
gRPC with native protocol-aware routing & method-level matching
UDP for use cases like DNS, gaming servers, or streaming applications
WebSocket for real-time bidirectional communication
Vendor-Neutral, Portable Configurations
Write your routing configuration once, run it anywhere:
Core features built into the specification—no proprietary annotations
The same configuration works across Traefik, NGINX, or any Gateway API implementation
Standardized extension patterns when vendor-specific features are needed
Evaluate & switch providers without rewriting routing rules
Eliminate vendor lock-in while accessing advanced capabilities
Layered Policy Application
Apply policies with precision and flexibility:
Global, gateway-specific, or route-specific policy layers
Policy Attachment pattern augments objects without modifying specs
Fine-grained control over security, rate limiting, & traffic management
Structured resources with validation catch errors before deployment
Built-in extensibility through CRDs (Metaresources, ExtensionRef, etc)
Leading Gateway API from Day One
Traefik Labs has been at the forefront of the Gateway API journey, investing early and driving innovation throughout its five-year evolution.
2019
IngressRoute Innovation
Traefik 2.0 introduced IngressRoute, a custom CRD that solved the "annotation hell" problem years before Gateway API. This pioneering work proved the need for structured, powerful APIs and informed Gateway API's design.
2019-2024
Active Specification Contribution
Joined Kubernetes SIG-Network community as an active contributor. Participated in design reviews, specification discussions, and working groups to shape Gateway API based on real-world customer needs.
2020-2023
Early Alpha & Beta Implementation
Among the first controllers to implement alpha versions of Gateway API, providing critical early feedback on specification design. Rapid adoption of each new version validated specification changes.
2023
Gateway API 1.0 GA Support
Full production support for Gateway API 1.0 upon general availability. Enterprises could confidently adopt the standard with Traefik as their battle-tested implementation.
2024
Gateway API 1.2 Support
Immediate support for Gateway API 1.2 features, including GRPCRoute, enhanced HTTPRoute capabilities, and advanced routing patterns.
2025
Gateway API 1.4: Latest Standard
Full support for Gateway API v1.4.0 with complete conformance for all HTTP core and extended features, plus TCPRoute and TLSRoute. Traefik continues to lead with same-day support for the latest specifications.
6+
Years Contributing to Gateway API
v1.4
Latest Gateway API Version Supported
100%
HTTP Core & Extended Features Conformance
1ST
Controllers with Day-One Support
Traefik's Gateway API:
Proven, Production-Ready, Future-Proof
Leading Innovation
Traefik Labs actively contributes to Gateway API specification development through the Kubernetes SIG-Network community, ensuring the standard addresses real customer needs.
Production-Ready
Among the first controllers to implement Gateway API, with full support for the specification and 100% conformance for HTTP core and extended features. Trusted by enterprises managing mission-critical workloads.
Seamless Migration
Easy migration path from Ingress or IngressRoute. Run multiple APIs side-by-side during transition. No downtime, no disruption to existing services.
Get Started with Gateway API in Four Steps
1
Install Traefik with Gateway API
Deploy Traefik as your Gateway API controller with built-in support for all standard resources.
2
Define Your GatewayClass & Gateway
Platform teams configure entry points, listeners, & protocols for your infrastructure.
3
Create Routes for Your Services
Developers define HTTPRoute, GRPCRoute, or TLSRoute resources to route traffic to their applications.
4
Apply Policies & Observe
Layer policies for security & traffic management. Monitor with built-in observability & metrics.
Ready to Move Beyond Ingress?
Discover how Traefik's Gateway API implementation can modernize your Kubernetes networking with vendor-neutral, role-based traffic management.
