The Kubernetes Gateway API hit v1.0 and is officially stable. It's a clean break from the old Ingress model, bringing modular, role-aware, multi-protocol control. Core players: Gateway, GatewayClass, and HTTPRoute.
On the flip side, Kong Gateway is losing ground. The newer kids—Envoy Gateway and kgateway—are rising fast. Both are Kubernetes-native, CNCF-backed, and based on Envoy. They're easier to extend, mesh-friendly, and already eyeing AI traffic handling.
The real shift: Kubernetes networking is lining up behind Envoy and the Gateway API. That changes the game for ingress, service mesh, and API traffic flow.
