:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY
[id="understand-gateway-api_{context}"]
= Understand Gateway API
include::_attributes/common-attributes.adoc[]
:context: understand-gateway-api

toc::[]

[role="_abstract"]
To optimize network traffic management and implement routing policies in {product-title}, use Gateway API. By adopting this community-managed Kubernetes mechanism, you can configure advanced routing at both the transport (L4) and application (L7) layers while leveraging various vendor-supported implementations to meet your specific networking requirements.

A well-designed Gateway API deployment helps you achieve a portable, role-oriented routing infrastructure. To successfully plan your Gateway API implementation, review the following concepts:

* Understand the benefits and limitations of Gateway API.
* Review {product-title} implementation specifics to avoid unsupported features.
* Choose between shared or dedicated deployment topologies.

[IMPORTANT]
====
Gateway API does not support user-defined networks (UDN).
====

include::modules/gateway-api-benefits-limitations.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

include::modules/gateway-api-implementation-specifics.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

include::modules/gateway-api-deployment-topologies.adoc[leveloffset=+1]