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This lesson introduces the core Gateway API resources and shows how they fit together to expose applications running inside your Kubernetes cluster. You will learn the Gateway API object model, what each resource is responsible for, and the key configuration options you’ll use when deploying a Gateway and routing traffic to workloads. Learning objectives:
  • Understand the Gateway API architecture and primary resources: GatewayClass, Gateway, and Routes.
  • Learn where to configure listeners, listener modes, hostnames, and parentRefs.
  • Learn how request filters and cross-resource references influence traffic routing.
  • Be ready to deploy a Gateway and publish an application using the Gateway API with NGINX Fabric Gateway.
Recommended prerequisites: basic familiarity with Kubernetes resources (Pods, Services, Deployments) and kubectl. If you’re using a managed cluster or a specific Gateway controller (for example, NGINX Fabric Gateway), confirm controller compatibility with the Gateway API version you plan to use.
What we’ll cover (sequence):
  1. Install and configure a GatewayClass — the cluster-wide definition that points to the controller implementation.
  2. Deploy a Gateway — define listeners and mode-specific settings that accept traffic.
  3. Configure Routes — such as HTTPRoute (and other route kinds) to expose services in your cluster.
  4. Understand request filters, cross-resource references, hostnames, and parentRefs — how they alter routing behavior and attach routes to gateways.
Resource overview Key concepts (short):
  • GatewayClass: represents the implementation (controller) — you typically create one per controller type or cluster configuration.
  • Gateway: an instance that binds to a GatewayClass and defines listeners (port, protocol, TLS settings).
  • Routes: attach to one or more Gateways using parentRefs and define how to match and forward requests (host/path/header matching, filters).
  • Request filters: allow header modification, URL rewrites, request mirroring, and other per-route transformations.
A presentation slide titled "Agenda" with a blue gradient sidebar. It lists four numbered items about installing/configuring a GatewayClass, deploying the Gateway (listeners and modes), exposing applications with Routes, and a wrap-up to deploy and publish apps.
Links and references That concludes this lesson. I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you in the next lesson.

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