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Choosing the Right Traffic Model for Kubernetes Applications
Govardhana M K
February 03, 2026
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🧠 Use Case
Choosing the Right Traffic Model for Kubernetes Applications
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🧠 USE CASE
Choosing the Right Traffic Model for Kubernetes Applications
If you’re still deploying Kubernetes workloads using Ingress and haven’t explored the Gateway API yet, you might be missing out on more flexible traffic control and multi-protocol support.
Let’s go beyond the usual definitions and dive into practical distinctions that impact real deployments.
1. Ingress
Most Kubernetes deployments today use Ingress to expose HTTP(S) traffic. It works, but it has notable caveats:
Tied to HTTP: No built in support for TCP, UDP, or gRPC.
Cluster scoped: You configure Ingress at the cluster level, making it less flexible for multi-team or multi-tenant scenarios.
Limited Extensibility: Annotations and custom CRDs are needed for advanced use cases like rate limiting, header modifications, and multi-tenancy.
No Fine grained Routing Control: Ingress only supports host/path-based routing, meaning complex routing logic often needs workarounds with annotations or controller specific features.
Network Policies Conflicts: Ingress does not inherently respect NetworkPolicy configurations, leading to cases where traffic gets routed despite restrictive policies.
2. Gateway API
The Gateway API is not just a replacement for Ingress, it’s an evolution that provides multi-protocol support, better delegation, and extensibility.
Here’s what makes it a game changer:
Multi protocol support: Native support for HTTP, TCP, UDP, and gRPC (
HTTPRoute,TCPRoute,UDPRoute). This means you can define traffic rules beyond just HTTP(S).Namespace scoped delegation: Unlike Ingress, Gateway API allows defining multiple Gateways within a namespace, making it ideal for multi-tenant architectures.
Separation of Concerns: In Ingress, application teams often depend on cluster admins to configure traffic policies. With Gateway API, cluster admins manage Gateways while app teams manage their own
HTTPRoute,TCPRoute, orUDPRouteobjects.Policy Enforcement: Supports first class policy objects like rate limiting, traffic splitting, retry policies, and more (without relying on annotations).
Standardization Across Vendors: Unlike Ingress, which has different behaviors depending on the controller (NGINX, Traefik, etc.), the Gateway API aims to standardize behaviors across implementations.
When to Use What?
Use Ingress when:
You are exposing basic HTTP or HTTPS web applications
Your setup is simple and single team owned
You only need path or host based routing
You are fine with controller specific annotations
Traffic requirements are lightweight and non complex
Use Gateway API when:
You run multi team or multi tenant platforms
You need to handle HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, UDP, or gRPC traffic
You want fine grained routing with clear ownership and delegation
You want to avoid controller specific annotations
You operate at enterprise scale with advanced traffic policies
Gateway API fits platform teams building shared infrastructure with long term growth in mind.
Practical Migration Considerations
Thinking of migrating from Ingress to Gateway API?
Here are key steps to ensure a smooth transition:
If you rely heavily on annotations (e.g., rate limiting, redirects), map them to Gateway API equivalent policies.
Not all controllers fully support Gateway API yet. Kong, Traefik, Istio, and Contour have good support, but check for missing features.
You can run both Ingress and Gateway API in parallel and migrate gradually.
Test with
HTTPRoute,TCPRoute, andUDPRouteconfigurations before full cutover.Ensure NetworkPolicy rules align with Gateway API routing.
My 2 Cents:
If your workload is simple HTTP based traffic, Ingress still gets the job done. But if you’re dealing with much more complex traffic, the Gateway API is the future. Start experimenting with it in a non prod environment and stay ahead of the curve!
On a side note, Kubernetes is changing the game, but most us aren’t ready for what’s coming.
This practical guide breaks down the most effective Kubernetes autoscaling tools and techniques, helping you choose the right solutions for your environment.
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