API Gateways Index
Complete index of API Gateway topics, comparisons, and guides
Main Guide
2025 The Ultimate Guide to Open-Source API Gateways
Complete comprehensive guide with benchmarks, comparisons, and implementation examples
Quick Navigation by Category
General-Purpose API Gateways
- Kong Gateway - Built on Nginx and Lua, extensive plugin ecosystem
- Traefik - Cloud-native reverse proxy with automatic service discovery
- KrakenD - Ultra-fast performance-optimized gateway
- Tyk - High-performance gateway with dashboard and analytics
- Apache APISIX - Dynamic, high-performance gateway on OpenResty
- Gloo Gateway - Cloud-native gateway for Kubernetes and serverless
- Gravitee.io - API management with analytics and policy enforcement
- Ocelot - .NET Core API gateway
- Janus - Lightweight Node.js gateway
- Express Gateway - Express.js-based policy-driven gateway
Kubernetes-Native Gateways
- Kong Ingress Controller - Kubernetes-native using Kong
- Ambassador - Kubernetes-native based on Envoy Proxy
- Gloo Edge - Kubernetes integration with service mesh
- Zuul - Netflix OSS Java-based edge service
- K8s Gateway - Standard Kubernetes Gateway API
Service Mesh-Based Gateways
- Envoy Proxy - High-performance service proxy
- Istio Gateway - API gateway for Istio service mesh
- Linkerd Ingress - Lightweight service mesh with ingress
GraphQL API Gateways
- Apollo Gateway - GraphQL federation
- Hasura GraphQL Engine - Real-time GraphQL for databases
- GraphQL Mesh - Multi-protocol to GraphQL conversion
Security-Focused Gateways
- WSO2 API Manager - Full-fledged security and analytics
- API Umbrella - Open-source management with rate limiting
Performance & Benchmarking
Throughput Rankings
- KrakenD - 500,000+ RPS peak performance
- APISIX - 400,000+ RPS peak performance
- Envoy Proxy - 350,000+ RPS peak performance
- Kong - 300,000+ RPS peak performance
- Traefik - 250,000+ RPS peak performance
Latency Overhead
- KrakenD - +0.5ms (10% impact)
- APISIX - +0.8ms (16% impact)
- Envoy Proxy - +1.0ms (20% impact)
- Kong - +1.2ms (24% impact)
- Traefik - +1.5ms (30% impact)
Security Features
Authentication Methods
- JWT Support
- OAuth2 Integration
- API Key Management
- mTLS Support
- Basic Authentication
Security Capabilities
- IP Whitelisting/Blacklisting
- Rate Limiting
- DDoS Protection
- WAF Integration
- Audit Logging
Deployment & Integration
Container Support
- Docker Support
- Kubernetes Integration
- Helm Charts
- Terraform Support
- Service Mesh Compatibility
Cloud Integration
- AWS, Azure, GCP Support
- Multi-cloud Deployments
- Hybrid Cloud Scenarios
Use Case Recommendations
High Performance & Scalability
- Best Choice: KrakenD
- Use Cases: High-traffic APIs, performance-critical applications
- Strengths: Highest throughput, lowest latency
Kubernetes-Native
- Best Choice: Istio Gateway
- Use Cases: Kubernetes-native applications, microservices
- Strengths: Full K8s integration, advanced traffic management
Enterprise Features
- Best Choice: Kong
- Use Cases: Enterprise applications, complex API management
- Strengths: Extensive plugin ecosystem, mature platform
Simplicity & Ease of Use
- Best Choice: Traefik
- Use Cases: Simple deployments, quick prototyping
- Strengths: Auto-discovery, easy configuration
GraphQL & Modern APIs
- Best Choice: Apollo Gateway
- Use Cases: GraphQL APIs, micro-frontends
- Strengths: Native GraphQL federation
Implementation Resources
Configuration Examples
- Kong Gateway Configuration
- Traefik Configuration
- APISIX Configuration
- Kubernetes Deployment
- Docker Compose Setup
Best Practices
- Performance Optimization
- Security Hardening
- Monitoring & Observability
- High Availability Setup
- CI/CD Integration
Related Topics
Architecture & Design
Security & Compliance
DevOps & Deployment
Getting Started
For Beginners
- Start with Traefik for simple deployments
- Learn basic API gateway concepts
- Experiment with Docker containers
- Move to Kubernetes when ready
For Intermediate Users
- Explore Kong or APISIX for advanced features
- Implement authentication and rate limiting
- Set up monitoring and logging
- Deploy to production environments
For Advanced Users
- Consider Istio for complex microservices
- Implement service mesh patterns
- Optimize for high performance
- Design multi-tenant architectures
Quick Decision Matrix
| Requirement | Best Choice | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| High Performance | KrakenD | APISIX, Envoy |
| Kubernetes Native | Istio Gateway | Ambassador, Gloo |
| Enterprise Features | Kong | Tyk, Gravitee.io |
| Easy Setup | Traefik | Express Gateway, Janus |
| GraphQL Support | Apollo Gateway | Hasura, GraphQL Mesh |
| Security Focus | WSO2 API Manager | Kong, Gravitee.io |
Need Help?
- Community Forums: Check individual project communities
- Documentation: Each gateway has comprehensive docs
- Benchmarks: Use our performance data for comparisons
- Implementation: Follow our step-by-step guides
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