WHY GARTNER’S “CONTEXT MESH” CHANGES EVERYTHING AI CONNECTIVITY: THE ROAD AHEAD DON’T MISS API + AI SUMMIT 2026 SEPT 30 – OCT 1
  • [Why Kong](/company/why-kong)Why Kong
    • Explore the unified API Platform
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        • [
          Kong Insomnia](/products/kong-insomnia)
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          API Testing and Debugging
        • [
          MCP Client](/products/kong-insomnia/mcp-client)
          MCP Client
        • RUN APIs
        • [
          API Gateway](/products/kong-gateway)
          API Gateway
        • [
          Context Mesh](/products/kong-konnect/features/context-mesh)
          Context Mesh
        • [
          AI Gateway](/products/kong-ai-gateway)
          AI Gateway
        • [
          Event Gateway](/products/event-gateway)
          Event Gateway
        • [
          Kubernetes Operator](/products/kong-gateway-operator)
          Kubernetes Operator
        • [
          Service Mesh](/products/kong-mesh)
          Service Mesh
        • [
          Ingress Controller](/products/kong-ingress-controller)
          Ingress Controller
        • [
          Runtime Management](/products/kong-konnect/features/runtime-management)
          Runtime Management
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        • [
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          Service Catalog
        • [
          MCP Registry](/products/mcp-registry)
          MCP Registry
        • GOVERN APIs
        • [
          Metering and Billing](/products/kong-konnect/features/usage-based-metering-and-billing)
          Metering and Billing
        • [
          APIOps and Automation](/products/apiops-automation)
          APIOps and Automation
        • [
          API Observability](/products/kong-konnect/features/api-observability)
          API Observability
        • [Why Kong?](/company/why-kong)Why Kong?
      • CLOUD
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      • COMPARE
      • [Considering AI Gateway alternatives? ](/performance-comparison/ai-gateway-alternatives)Considering AI Gateway alternatives?
      • [Kong vs. Postman](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-postman)Kong vs. Postman
      • [Kong vs. MuleSoft](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-mulesoft)Kong vs. MuleSoft
      • [Kong vs. Apigee](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-apigee)Kong vs. Apigee
      • [Kong vs. IBM](/performance-comparison/ibm-api-connect-vs-kong)Kong vs. IBM
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      • [Platform Cost Reduction](/solutions/api-platform-consolidation)Platform Cost Reduction
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      • [Agentic Infrastructure](/solutions/agentic-ai-workflows)Agentic Infrastructure
      • [MCP Production](/solutions/mcp-production-and-consumption)MCP Production
      • [MCP Traffic Gateway](/solutions/mcp-governance)MCP Traffic Gateway
      • FOR DEVELOPERS
      • [Mobile App API Development](/solutions/mobile-application-api-development)Mobile App API Development
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      • [Decentralized Load Balancing](/solutions/decentralized-load-balancing)Decentralized Load Balancing
      • BY INDUSTRY
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      • [See all Solutions](/solutions)See all Solutions
  • [Pricing](/pricing)Pricing
      • DOCUMENTATION
      • [Kong Konnect](https://developer.konghq.com/konnect/)Kong Konnect
      • [Kong Gateway](https://developer.konghq.com/gateway/)Kong Gateway
      • [Kong Mesh](https://developer.konghq.com/mesh/)Kong Mesh
      • [Kong AI Gateway](https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/)Kong AI Gateway
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      • EXPLORE
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      • EVENTS
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      • COMPANY
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      • [Documentation](https://developer.konghq.com/?_gl=1*tphanb*_gcl_au*MTcxNTQ5NjQ0MC4xNzY5Nzg4MDY0LjIwMTI3NzEwOTEuMTc3MzMxODI2MS4xNzczMzE4MjYw*_ga*NDIwMDU4MTU3LjE3Njk3ODgwNjQ.*_ga_4JK9146J1H*czE3NzQwMjg1MjkkbzE4OSRnMCR0MTc3NDAyODUyOSRqNjAkbDAkaDA)Documentation
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  • [Documentation](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/)Documentation
  • [Plugin Hub](https://docs.konghq.com/hub/)Plugin Hub
We're Entering the Age of AI Connectivity [Read more](/blog/news/the-age-of-ai-connectivity)Read moreProducts & Agents:
    • [Kong AI Gateway](/products/kong-ai-gateway)Kong AI Gateway
    • [Kong API Gateway](/products/kong-gateway)Kong API Gateway
    • [Kong Event Gateway](/products/event-gateway)Kong Event Gateway
    • [Kong Metering & Billing](/products/usage-based-metering-and-billing)Kong Metering & Billing
    • [Kong Insomnia](/products/kong-insomnia)Kong Insomnia
    • [Kong Konnect](/products/kong-konnect)Kong Konnect
  • [Documentation](https://developer.konghq.com)Documentation
  • [Book Demo](/contact-sales)Book Demo
  1. Home
  2. Products
  3. Kong Gateway

# The world’s most adopted
open source API gateway

Loved by developers. Trusted by enterprises.

[Book Demo](/contact-sales)Book Demo[Get Started](/products/kong-konnect/register)Get Started

## Lightweight, fast, and flexible cloud native API gateway

### Ridiculously fast

Ultra-lightweight, infinitely scalable NGINX engine with 50K+ transactions per second per node.

### Always flexible

Kong Gateway delivers the architectural flexibility you need to operate across any cloud, platform, or protocol. 

### Deployed instantly

Configure Kong Gateway natively using an API, web UI, or declarative configuration to manage updates via CI/CD pipelines.

## Why Kong Gateway?

Built for hybrid and multi-cloud, optimized for microservices and distributed architectures.

## 01/ APIOps

## Fully automated

  • - Automate each phase of the API and microservices lifecycle through declarative configuration.
  • - Easily apply proven principles of DevOps and GitOps to bring applications online faster.
[Learn More](/events/user-calls/controlling-your-kong-gateway-with-deck-and-ci-cd)Learn More

## 02/ Installation Options

## Deployment agnostic

  • - Run Kong Gateway in any environment, platform, and implementation pattern — from on-prem to cloud, Kubernetes, and serverless
  • - Flexibility to configure Kong Gateway with or without database, and in hybrid or cloud-hosted modes.
[Install Kong Gateway](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/install/)Install Kong Gateway

## 03/ Plugins

## Highly extensible

  • - Exercise granular control over your API traffic with out-of-the-box security, authentication, transformation, and analytics plugins.
  • - Easily extend Kong Gateway to support unique use cases with custom plugins via Kong's Plugin Development Kit.
[Learn More](/products/kong-plugins)Learn More

## 04/ Kubernetes Ingress Controller

## Kubernetes native

  • - Configure Kong Gateway the same way as Kubernetes with Kong Ingress Controller.
  • - Implement traffic management, transformations, and observability across Kubernetes clusters with zero downtime.
[Learn More](/solutions/build-on-kubernetes)Learn More

## 05/ Flexible policy design and execution

## Leverage the Gateway for data orchestration and transformation

  • - Design flexible, granular policy flows
  • - Drive internal auth, API mashing, and more data transformation use cases

## Kong Gateway for every stage
of your API journey

Kong Gateway
for Open Source

Kong Gateway
for Kong Enterprise

Kong Gateway
for Kong Konnect

Fast, Lightweight, Cloud-Native

End-to-End Automation

Kubernetes Native

Gateway Mocking

Plugin Ordering

Federated API Management

Workspaces provide some isolation

Control planes provide strong isolation

Data plane Resilience

Consumer Groups

API Governance

Kong Gateway
for Open Source

Kong Gateway
for Kong Enterprise

Kong Gateway
for Kong Konnect

OpenTelemetry

Developer Portal

Service Hub

API Analytics

Data Retention Period for Observability

Up to 1 year

Admin GUI

Self-managed Kong Manager

Self-managed Kong Manager

Gateway Event Hooks

Audit Logging

Operational Efficiency

Kong Gateway
for Open Source

Kong Gateway
for Kong Enterprise

Kong Gateway
for Kong Konnect

Hosted control plane

self-managed

self-managed

Hosted Database

self-managed

self-managed

SLA on Gateway control plane and database

self-managed

self-managed

99.9% Uptime SLA

Full SaaS API Gateway

Effortless Upgrades

Traffic Management and Transformations

Kong Gateway
for Open Source

Kong Gateway
for Kong Enterprise

Kong Gateway
for Kong Konnect

Basic Traffic Control Plugins

Simple Data Transformations

GraphQL

Kafka Integrations

Multi-protocol Plugin Support

Request Validation

Advanced Data Transformation

Advanced Rate Limiting

Routing Engine

Security and Compliance

Kong Gateway
for Open Source

Kong Gateway
for Kong Enterprise

Kong Gateway
for Kong Konnect

Basic Authentication

Advanced Authentication

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Basic Authorization (Bot Detection, CORS controls, ACLs)

Advanced Authorization (OPA)

OOTB integration with 3rd party secret management tools

FIPS 140-2 Compliant Data Planes

Software Bill of Materials

Enterprise Support and Services

Kong Gateway
for Open Source

Kong Gateway
for Kong Enterprise

Kong Gateway
for Kong Konnect

Enterprise support

Customer Success Packages - Add-on

## Kong Gateway propels enterprise success

## Pexa

Kong is a natural fit for PEXA embarking on the modernization journey. It ticks all the boxes — scalability, security, and self-service — which takes the hassle of managing APIs

Simon Vallegra
-
General Manager of Technology Operations and Digital Delivery
[Read the full story](/resources/case-study/pexa-ensures-secure-transactions-for-kong-customers)Read the full story

30%

Reduction in costs

## Australia Post

With Kong, we’ve taken a big leap forward in our ability to reduce operational overhead while efficiently scaling to support the increase in traffic requests from our rapidly growing customer base.

Neha Jaiswal
-
Product Manager at Australia Post, API Platform & Central Services
[Read the full story](/resources/case-study/australia-post-delivers-streamline-onboarding-with-kong-konnect)Read the full story

Hours

Developer
onboarding reduced
from days to hours

## Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz decided to focus on Kong as their recommended choice because it's suitable for both small and large instances providing simple configuration, operation and monitoring.

Benjamin Bertow
-
Senior Technical Lead and Product Owner
[Watch the user call](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrSkwJOBsiY)Watch the user call

1,500+

APIs seamlessly
managed

## Optum

Kong has produced an 85% reduction in gateway overhead compared to our previous proprietary solution, in addition to being 90% more resource efficient.

Ross Sbriscia
-
Lead Software Engineer at UnitedHealth Group
[Read the full story](/blog/enterprise/unitedhealth-group-kong-gateway)Read the full story

85%

Reduction
operational overhead

## Resources

[View all Resources](/resources)View all Resources
_Explore More_
[__

Explore Kong Gateway Documentation

__](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/)
__

Explore Kong Gateway Documentation

__
[](https://docs.konghq.com/gateway/latest/)
_Product Updates_
[__

What’s New in Kong? See the Latest Updates

__](/product-updates)
__

What’s New in Kong? See the Latest Updates

__
[](/product-updates)
_Webinar_
[__

Kong Enterprise Office Hours: Kong Gateway 3.3 Demo and Q&A

__](/events/webinars/kong-enterprise-office-hours-gateway-3-3-demo-and-qa)
__

Kong Enterprise Office Hours: Kong Gateway 3.3 Demo and Q&A

__
[](/events/webinars/kong-enterprise-office-hours-gateway-3-3-demo-and-qa)

## Get started with the unified API and AI platform

[Book Demo](/contact-sales)Book Demo
Ask AI for a summary of Kong
  • [](https://chatgpt.com/s/t_69b981cfa37081919ce25ce107c431c1)
  • [](https://share.google/aimode/hyefOiNwl8pg8W99d)
  • [](https://www.perplexity.ai/search/what-solutions-does-kong-offer-VsYWPddxQjajgvLA4B9hjQ)
Stay connected

## step-0

    • Company
    • [About Kong](/company/about-us)About Kong
    • [Customers](/customer-stories)Customers
    • [Careers](/company/careers)Careers
    • [Press](/company/press-room)Press
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    • [Trust and Compliance](https://trust.konghq.com)Trust and Compliance
    • Platform
    • [Kong AI Gateway](/products/kong-ai-gateway)Kong AI Gateway
    • [Kong Konnect](/products/kong-konnect)Kong Konnect
    • [Kong Gateway](/products/kong-gateway)Kong Gateway
    • [Kong Event Gateway](/products/event-gateway)Kong Event Gateway
    • [Kong Insomnia](/products/kong-insomnia)Kong Insomnia
    • [Documentation](https://developer.konghq.com)Documentation
    • [Book Demo](/contact-sales)Book Demo
    • Compare
    • [AI Gateway Alternatives](/performance-comparison/ai-gateway-alternatives)AI Gateway Alternatives
    • [Kong vs Apigee](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-apigee)Kong vs Apigee
    • [Kong vs IBM](/performance-comparison/ibm-api-connect-vs-kong)Kong vs IBM
    • [Kong vs Postman](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-postman)Kong vs Postman
    • [Kong vs Mulesoft](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-mulesoft)Kong vs Mulesoft
    • Explore More
    • [Open Banking API Solutions](/solutions/open-banking)Open Banking API Solutions
    • [API Governance Solutions](/solutions/api-governance)API Governance Solutions
    • [Istio API Gateway Integration](/solutions/istio-gateway)Istio API Gateway Integration
    • [Kubernetes API Management](/solutions/build-on-kubernetes)Kubernetes API Management
    • [API Gateway: Build vs Buy](/campaign/secure-api-scalability)API Gateway: Build vs Buy
    • [Kong vs Apigee](/performance-comparison/kong-vs-apigee)Kong vs Apigee
    • Open Source
    • [Kong Gateway](https://developer.konghq.com/gateway/install/)Kong Gateway
    • [Kuma](https://kuma.io/)Kuma
    • [Insomnia](https://insomnia.rest/)Insomnia
    • [Kong Community](/community)Kong Community

Kong enables the connectivity layer for the agentic era – securely connecting, governing, and monetizing APIs and AI tokens across any model or cloud.

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