The Kubernetes Gateway API team is excited to announce the release of version 1.1! This update brings several key features to the forefront, along with some intriguing experimental additions.

Standard Channel Promotions:

Service Mesh Support: Manage both ingress and service mesh traffic with a unified API, simplifying control for your service mesh deployments.
GRPCRoute: Define dedicated routes specifically for gRPC traffic, ensuring proper handling of gRPC communication within your clusters.
Backward Compatibility: Standard Channel features are designed for production use and maintain backward compatibility, allowing for safe upgrades.

Dive Deeper:

Learn more about service mesh support in the Gateway API documentation.

Advanced Routing with HTTPRoute:

Canary Deployments: The example configuration demonstrates how to implement canary deployments using HTTPRoute, splitting traffic between your original service and a new version for testing purposes.
Parent References: Define how routes connect to parent resources, typically Gateways, for precise traffic control.
Attaching to Listeners: The port field in ParentReference allows attaching routes to specific Gateway Listeners or Services, enabling attachment to multiple listeners simultaneously.

Improved Conformance Reporting:

Structured Reports: The conformance report API now includes details like mode (standard/experimental) and Gateway API version, allowing for more informative test results.

Experimental Features:

Client Certificate Verification: Enforce stricter authentication by verifying client certificates during the TLS handshake process.
Session Persistence: Maintain user sessions across requests for applications that rely on session data. This feature is introduced as a policy and within route configurations.
Breaking Changes for TLS Policy: Terminology consistency improvements in BackendTLSPolicy resulted in a new API version (v1alpha3). Update your references and configurations accordingly.

Easy Upgrade Path:

The Gateway API offers independent versioning, allowing you to leverage the latest features without needing to upgrade your entire Kubernetes cluster. As long as your cluster is on Kubernetes 1.26 or later, you can start using Gateway API v1.1 right away.

This update empowers you with greater control and flexibility when managing traffic within your Kubernetes clusters. Stay tuned for further developments in the Gateway API, and explore the exciting possibilities of service mesh support, GRPC routing, and advanced traffic management features.