Amazon API Gateway
Fully managed service to create, publish, and secure APIs at any scale for backend access
Tyk
Fast, cloud-native API gateway for REST, GraphQL, gRPC, TCP
Tyk Gateway delivers ultra‑low latency API management with built‑in auth, rate limiting, analytics, and extensible plugins, supporting REST, GraphQL, gRPC and TCP, deployable via Docker or Kubernetes.
Overview
Overview
Tyk Gateway is designed for developers, DevOps teams, and enterprises that need a high‑performance, protocol‑agnostic API management layer. It supports REST, SOAP, GraphQL, gRPC, and TCP, making it suitable for public APIs, internal microservices, and hybrid cloud environments.
Core capabilities
The platform offers built‑in authentication (OIDC, JWT, mTLS, etc.), granular rate limiting, quota enforcement, and detailed analytics. Its plugin architecture lets you write middleware in any language that can speak gRPC, such as Python, JavaScript, or Go. Features like hitless reloads, API versioning, and content mediation enable sophisticated traffic control without downtime.
Deployment options
Tyk can be launched instantly with the Docker image and a Redis instance, or managed declaratively on Kubernetes using the Tyk Operator. Helm charts, Ansible playbooks, and native binaries are also provided for flexible installation across Linux, Red Hat, Ubuntu, and CentOS platforms.
Highlights
Supports REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and TCP protocols
Built‑in authentication methods (OIDC, JWT, mTLS, etc.)
Ultra‑low latency with thousands of RPS per CPU
Extensible plugin architecture in any language
Pros
- High performance with low latency
- Comprehensive security and auth options
- Native Kubernetes Operator for declarative management
- Rich analytics and rate‑limiting out of the box
Considerations
- Requires Redis for core functionality
- Advanced enterprise features locked behind commercial license
- Configuration can be complex for large deployments
- Go 1.22 required for building from source
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Fit guide
Great for
- Enterprises needing scalable, multi‑protocol API management
- Teams deploying on Kubernetes using GitOps
- Developers requiring custom middleware in any language
- Organizations that value open‑source transparency
Not ideal when
- Small projects that don't need advanced rate limiting
- Teams without Redis expertise
- Users seeking a single‑binary without external dependencies
- Environments where only a permissive license is acceptable
How teams use it
Secure public APIs
Apply OIDC/JWT authentication, enforce rate limits, and monitor usage via built‑in analytics.
Microservice communication
Leverage gRPC and TCP support to mediate internal service calls with hitless reloads.
API versioning for SaaS product
Define versioned endpoints, schedule sunset dates, and enforce granular access control per version.
Kubernetes‑native API portal
Deploy the Tyk Operator to manage APIs declaratively and integrate with CI/CD pipelines.
Tech snapshot
Go98%
Shell1%
Python1%
JavaScript1%
Java1%
Dockerfile1%
Frequently asked questions
What languages can I write plugins in?
Tyk’s middleware can be implemented in any language that can communicate via gRPC, including Python, JavaScript, Go, and more.
Do I need a commercial license to use the gateway?
The core gateway is released under MPL v2.0 and is free; only the ‘ee’ folder features require a commercial license.
Which database does Tyk rely on?
Tyk uses Redis for storing configuration and runtime data; a Redis instance must be reachable.
Can I run Tyk on Kubernetes without the operator?
Yes, you can deploy the Docker image directly, but the Tyk Operator provides a declarative, native Kubernetes experience.
What Go version is required to build from source?
Go 1.22 is required for compiling the current master branch.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 10,594
- Watchers
- 10,594
- Forks
- 1,153
Repo age11 years old
Last commit4 hours ago
Primary languageGo
Last synced 4 hours ago