In March 2026, Kubernetes ends support for Ingress NGINX. Here’s what it can replace
✅ API gateway
The successor to Ingress and a more flexible way of describing network traffic in the cluster.
- More complex routing scenarios (canary, A/B-tests etc.)
- Clear separation of roles between infrastructure and applications
- New industry standard that supports different vendors and open source projects
✅ Traefik proxy
- There is a dynamic configuration without restart
- Built-in dashboard for monitoring and debugging
- Supports multiple protocols (HTTP, TCP, gRPC, WebSocket)
✅ HAProxy Input Controller
- High performance and predictable behavior under heavy load
- Extensive balancing capabilities and fine tuning
- Detailed metrics for integration with monitoring systems
✅Controllers based on Envoy Contour, Emissary-ingress
- Enhanced integration with service mesh
- Flexible configuration via xDS-API
- Active development and support from community and vendors