World K3: Counters & Doors

Gateway API: the main entrance

You will learn: how GatewayClass, Gateway and HTTPRoute let customers in.

Checked with Kubernetes 1.37 on 31 Oct 2026

The problem

You are here: cluster kind-dev namespace default

~/shop $ kubectl get servicesNAME         TYPE        CLUSTER-IP      EXTERNAL-IP   PORT(S)   AGEkubernetes   ClusterIP   10.96.0.1       <none>        443/TCP   5m21sshop         ClusterIP   10.96.127.163   <none>        80/TCP    21s~/shop $ kubectl get gatewayNo resources found in default namespace.

Customers wait on the street. The shop’s order number only works inside. And there is no front door yet.

Watch

Tap each point on the timeline.

Gateway API is the main way in. It has three parts, owned by three teams. Tap each one.

Watch

You are here: cluster kind-dev namespace default

~/shop $ cat gateway.yamlapiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1kind: Gatewaymetadata:  name: entrancespec:  gatewayClassName: eg  listeners:    - name: http      protocol: HTTP      port: 80~/shop $ kubectl apply -f gateway.yamlgateway.gateway.networking.k8s.io/entrance created~/shop $ kubectl get gateway entranceNAME       CLASS   ADDRESS        PROGRAMMED   AGEentrance   eg      172.18.0.200   True         0s

A is the main entrance. PROGRAMMED True means the door is built. ADDRESS is where customers knock.

Try it

Build the entrance and one signboard. Then knock from your laptop.

You are here: cluster kind-dev namespace default

shop3/3 ready

dev-control-planeOpenManager

No trays here.

dev-workerOpen

shop·cgv72
shop·qtdnk

dev-worker2Open

shop·csjj6

Time: +0s (sped up)

Hint

Two files: gateway.yaml (the door) and route.yaml (the sign). Then curl the ADDRESS.

Watch

Follow one order from the street to a tray. Press Send, or Step for one hop at a time.

Press Send. Watch the request go hop by hop.

BrowserGET / on port 80
Gateway (entrance)entrance listens on :80
HTTPRoute (signboard)/ → shop:80
Service (order number)shop: port 80 → 80
EndpointSlice (ready trays)3 ready of 3
Pod (tray)shop-94c9756fd-8tghh listens on :80

Predict

You delete the HTTPRoute. The Gateway still runs. What does a customer get?

Check

Three parts, three teams. Who writes what?

Drag a card into a box. Or tap the card, then tap the box.

You did it!

You can now open a main entrance with Gateway API.

Go deeper (optional)

Gateway API is not built in. A cluster needs its CRDs plus one controller. Envoy Gateway, Istio, Cilium and NGINX Gateway Fabric are some. Every route here uses gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1. On kind, the Gateway address may need cloud-provider-kind.

Real rep (optional), on a throwaway kind cluster:

Real mission

Install the Gateway API CRDs and one controller, using that controller’s official quickstart.
Find the door maker.
kubectl get gatewayclass
Apply a Gateway and an HTTPRoute for your shop.
Wait for PROGRAMMED True, then curl the ADDRESS.
kubectl get gateway

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