# Kong/kong **Attribution required: if you use, quote, or summarise this content, you must credit and link back to [awesome-repositories.com](https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/kong-kong).** 42,801 stars · 5,076 forks · Lua · apache-2.0 ## Links - GitHub: https://github.com/Kong/kong - Homepage: https://konghq.com/install/ - awesome-repositories: https://awesome-repositories.com/repository/kong-kong.md ## Topics `ai` `ai-gateway` `api-gateway` `api-management` `apis` `artificial-intelligence` `cloud-native` `devops` `kubernetes` `kubernetes-ingress` `kubernetes-ingress-controller` `llm-gateway` `llm-ops` `mcp` `mcp-gateway` `microservice` `microservices` `openai-proxy` `reverse-proxy` `serverless` ## Description Kong is a high-performance API gateway and service connectivity platform designed to manage, secure, and monitor traffic across distributed microservices and hybrid cloud environments. It functions as a centralized control plane for service governance, providing essential traffic routing, load balancing, and request transformation capabilities to ensure consistent policy enforcement across all service endpoints. The platform distinguishes itself through a modular plugin architecture and a declarative configuration engine that allows infrastructure behavior to be defined via version-controlled files. This approach enables consistent, repeatable deployments and allows for the injection of custom logic directly into the request processing pipeline. Furthermore, it provides specialized support for service mesh communication, enabling secure, encrypted, and observable inter-service connectivity through lightweight sidecar proxies that integrate with standard container orchestration workflows. Beyond core routing, the platform encompasses a broad range of operational capabilities including API performance monitoring, usage metering for billing and resource governance, and event stream security. It also provides governance for AI-native applications and administrative controls such as role-based access management and audit logging to maintain operational standards across diverse environments. The platform supports development workflows through integrated tools for service interface mocking and the publication of interactive documentation. It is designed for deployment within containerized clusters, utilizing native controllers to automate traffic management and infrastructure provisioning. ## Tags ### Networking & Communication - [API Gateways](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/networking-communication/api-gateways.md) — Provides a high-performance gateway to manage, secure, and route traffic across distributed microservices and hybrid cloud environments. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) - [Service Meshes](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/networking-communication/service-meshes.md) — Deploys lightweight proxies alongside application containers to intercept and secure inter-service communication without modifying the underlying service code. - [Event Stream Governance](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/networking-communication/event-stream-governance.md) — Secures event-driven data movement by applying access policies directly to message brokers for compliant and reliable communication. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) ### DevOps & Infrastructure - [Kubernetes Traffic Controllers](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/kubernetes-traffic-controllers.md) — Automates traffic control and load balancing for containerized applications through native integration with cluster orchestration workflows. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) - [Service Governance Platforms](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/service-governance-platforms.md) — Provides a centralized control plane for enforcing security policies, usage quotas, and audit logging across distributed service endpoints. - [Distributed Configuration Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/distributed-configuration-management.md) — Propagates configuration changes and policy updates across multiple gateway nodes to ensure consistent behavior throughout a distributed cluster. - [Infrastructure as Code](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/infrastructure-as-code.md) — Enables the management of system behavior and routing rules through version-controlled, declarative configuration files independent of the underlying infrastructure. - [Infrastructure as Code Tools](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/infrastructure-as-code-tools.md) — Enables consistent and repeatable system behavior management through version-controlled declarative configuration files. - [Infrastructure Provisioning](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/infrastructure-provisioning.md) — Enables declarative management and consistent deployment of gateway components across containerized environments. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) - [Plugin Frameworks](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/devops-infrastructure/plugin-frameworks.md) — Injects custom logic into the request processing pipeline through a modular system that enables dynamic functionality extension. ### Artificial Intelligence & ML - [AI Governance Tools](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/artificial-intelligence-ml/ai-governance-tools.md) — Provides centralized policy enforcement, observability, and traffic control for AI-native applications and model endpoints. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) ### Business & Productivity Software - [Usage Metering & Billing](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/business-productivity-software/usage-metering-billing.md) — Tracks connectivity and data consumption patterns to implement usage-based billing models and manage service entitlements based on subscription levels. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) - [Usage Metering & Quotas](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/business-productivity-software/usage-metering-quotas.md) — Tracks API consumption and enforces access quotas to support billing models and resource governance across service consumers. - [Access Governance](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/business-productivity-software/access-governance.md) — Provides centralized control over account access and administrative settings to maintain operational standards across development environments. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) ### Programming Languages & Runtimes - [Embedded Scripting Runtimes](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/programming-languages-runtimes/embedded-scripting-runtimes.md) — Executes custom request-processing logic within a high-speed virtual machine to minimize latency during traffic routing. ### Security & Cryptography - [Identity and Access Management](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/security-cryptography/identity-access-management.md) — Verifies user identities via single sign-on providers and manages access permissions through built-in roles for secure platform administration. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) ### System Administration & Monitoring - [API Performance Monitoring](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/system-administration-monitoring/api-performance-monitoring.md) — Provides real-time visibility into traffic patterns and response times to identify bottlenecks and ensure system health. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) - [Audit Logging Systems](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/system-administration-monitoring/audit-logging-systems.md) — Provides detailed historical records of system activity and security events to support threat identification and compliance auditing. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) ### Development Tools & Productivity - [API Development Tools](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/api-development-tools.md) — Provides tools to design, debug, and mock service interfaces locally or in the cloud to accelerate development and ensure reliability. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com)) - [API Documentation Tools](https://awesome-repositories.com/f/development-tools-productivity/api-documentation-tools.md) — Provides interactive documentation and developer portals to help consumers understand and integrate with exposed services. ([source](https://docs.konghq.com))