A Gateway API implementation is software installed in a Kubernetes cluster that realizes Gateway API resources and provisions the traffic proxies they require. Kubernetes does not include one by default, so a cluster must use a Gateway API provider before those resources can expose services. section 13.8 section 13.1.2
An implementation connects declarative Gateway API objects to working network entry points:
- A GatewayClass identifies the controller responsible for provisioning a proxy for each Gateway and can provide proxy configuration parameters. section 13.8
- A Gateway represents a network entry point and is typically backed by a reverse proxy; administrators can create one or more. section 13.8
- Routes such as HTTPRoute, TLSRoute, GRPCRoute, TCPRoute, and UDPRoute describe how traffic reaches backend services. section 13.8
- Implementations may support multiple providers in one cluster, but implementation-specific features can require configuration changes when providers change. section 13.1.2
From GatewayClass to routed traffic
A cluster administrator installs a Gateway API implementation and creates a GatewayClass. The class's controller provisions a proxy for a Gateway object, and an HTTPRoute attaches to that Gateway to direct matching requests to a backend service. section 13.8
