API Gateway vs Gateway API

Gateway API is an official Kubernetes project focused on L4 and L7 routing in Kubernetes. It replaces the ingress resources.

An API Gateway is a central entry point for all client requests, acting as a reverse proxy that routes them to the correct backend microservices, handling cross-cutting concerns like security (auth/authz), rate limiting, monitoring, and caching, thereby simplifying microservices management and providing a unified interface for diverse clients. Examples include Amazon API Gateway.

Gateway API is an interface, defined as a set of Kubernetes resources, that models service networking in Kubernetes. As a Gateway provider, you can implement Gateway API to model Kubernetes service networking in an expressive, extensible, and role-oriented way. An example for Gateway controller is NGINX Gateway Fabric.

Created this simple diagram to showcase it.