NGINX Gateway Fabric
NGINX Gateway Fabric is a self-hosted Kubernetes implementation of the Gateway API, using NGINX as its data plane for load balancing, reverse proxying, and A…
What NGINX Gateway Fabric is
NGINX Gateway Fabric is a self-hosted Kubernetes implementation of the Gateway API, using NGINX as its data plane for load balancing, reverse proxying, and API gateway use. Its control plane converts Gateway API resources into NGINX configuration, separate from the data plane that handles traffic. Documented resources include GatewayClass, Gateway, HTTPRoute, GRPCRoute, ReferenceGrant, TLSRoute, TCPRoute, UDPRoute, and BackendTLSPolicy, with support levels varying by resource. Traffic features include HTTP and TLS routing, redirects, rewrites, request mirroring, session persistence, and rate limiting. Security documentation covers HTTPS with cert-manager, mutual TLS, basic authentication, OpenID Connect, external authentication, and JWT authentication. Monitoring with Prometheus and Grafana and tracing through OpenTelemetry collectors are described, including Jaeger examples. Installation is available through Helm from an OCI registry or from source, after the Gateway API resources are installed. Version 2.7.2 lists Kubernetes 1.32 or later as a requirement. Control-plane and NGINX data-plane images are available for amd64 and arm64. Telemetry is collected by default every 24 hours over HTTPS; documentation describes how to opt out.
Good
- Free open-source data-plane plan
- Supports HTTP, HTTPS, gRPC, TCP, TLS, and UDP
- Includes rate limiting and request transformation
- Documents Prometheus, Grafana, and OpenTelemetry integrations
Watch out
- Some Gateway API resources or fields are partially supported or unsupported
- Version 2.7.2 requires Kubernetes 1.32 or later
- Telemetry is collected by default every 24 hours
Who it suits
NGINX Gateway Fabric suits teams running Kubernetes that want NGINX-based traffic management through Gateway API resources. It is geared toward self-hosted deployments and users able to work with its installation requirements.
Verdict
NGINX Gateway Fabric provides a self-hosted Gateway API path with a broad set of documented traffic and security features. Review the compatibility table and Kubernetes requirement before deployment.
Plans and prices
From NGINX Gateway Fabric's own pricing page, checked 5 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| NGINX Gateway Fabric (NGINX Open Source data plane) | Free | Open-source project · Kubernetes deployment · Gateway API support varies by resource |
The facts
Each one read from NGINX Gateway Fabric's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Advanced features
- NGINX Plus data plane images are provided through F5's private container registry, and the installation guide includes separate NGINX Plus and WAF deployment options.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Architecture
- It separates the control plane and data plane, and the control plane translates Gateway API resources into NGINX configuration.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- NGINX Gateway Fabric can be installed with Helm from an OCI registry or from source, and Gateway API resources must be installed before deployment.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The documentation describes monitoring with Prometheus and Grafana and tracing with OpenTelemetry collectors, including Jaeger examples.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Kubernetes compatibility
- The technical specifications list Kubernetes 1.32 or later for NGINX Gateway Fabric 2.7.2.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Notable limitation
- The compatibility documentation marks some Gateway API resources or fields as partially supported or unsupported, and notes that some may never be supported.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- NGINX Gateway Fabric implements the Kubernetes Gateway API using NGINX as the data plane for load balancing, reverse proxying, and API gateway use cases.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Routing
- The project aims to implement core Gateway API resources including Gateway, HTTPRoute, GRPCRoute, TCPRoute, TLSRoute, and UDPRoute.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Security features
- The documentation covers HTTPS with cert-manager, mutual TLS, basic authentication, OpenID Connect, external authentication, and JWT authentication.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Support
- The support page directs users to GitHub issues and the NGINX Community Forum, and says users can contact F5 Sales for dedicated support or NGINX Plus features.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Supported API resources
- The compatibility table lists GatewayClass, Gateway, HTTPRoute, GRPCRoute, ReferenceGrant, TLSRoute, TCPRoute, UDPRoute, and BackendTLSPolicy, with support levels varying by resource.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Supported images
- The documented control plane and NGINX data plane images are available for amd64 and arm64 architectures.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Telemetry
- Product telemetry is collected by default once every 24 hours over HTTPS; the documentation says personally identifiable information is not collected and describes how to opt out.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Traffic features
- Documented traffic management features include HTTP routing, TLS routing, redirects and rewrites, request mirroring, session persistence, and rate limiting.checked 5 Oct 2026
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