Apache APISIX vs Cilium

Struggling to choose between Apache APISIX and Cilium? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Apache APISIX is a Network & Admin solution with tags like apigateway, microservices, opensource, loadbalancing, authentication, ratelimiting.

It boasts features such as Dynamic upstream routing, Dynamic load balancing, Plugin system, Customizable authentication, Granular access control, Real-time metrics, Distributed tracing and pros including High performance, Flexible and extensible, Easy to deploy and configure, Open source and free, Active community support.

On the other hand, Cilium is a Network & Admin product tagged with networking, containers, kubernetes, ebpf, xdp.

Its standout features include eBPF-based networking, Identity-based security policies, Transparent encryption, Load balancing, Direct server return, Bandwidth manager, Observability and analytics, and it shines with pros like High performance networking, Simple to operate, Native Kubernetes integration, Flexible security policies, Scalability.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Apache APISIX

Apache APISIX

Apache APISIX is an open-source, high-performance API gateway that helps organizations manage traffic to their APIs and microservices. It handles routing, load balancing, authentication, rate limiting and more.

Categories:
Network & Admin Api Management
apigateway microservices opensource loadbalancing authentication ratelimiting

Apache APISIX Features

  1. Dynamic upstream routing
  2. Dynamic load balancing
  3. Plugin system
  4. Customizable authentication
  5. Granular access control
  6. Real-time metrics
  7. Distributed tracing

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

High performance

Flexible and extensible

Easy to deploy and configure

Open source and free

Active community support

Cons

Steep learning curve

Requires expertise to manage and scale

Limited documentation and guides

Not many third-party integrations yet

Cilium

Cilium

Cilium is an open source software for providing and securing network connectivity between application services deployed using Linux container management platforms like Kubernetes. It uses eBPF/XDP for high performance container networking.

Categories:
Network & Admin Container Networking
networking containers kubernetes ebpf xdp

Cilium Features

  1. eBPF-based networking
  2. Identity-based security policies
  3. Transparent encryption
  4. Load balancing
  5. Direct server return
  6. Bandwidth manager
  7. Observability and analytics

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

High performance networking

Simple to operate

Native Kubernetes integration

Flexible security policies

Scalability

Cons

Complex architecture

Steep learning curve

Limited supported platforms

Immature technology