Apache APISIX

Apache APISIX, a top-level Apache Software Foundation project, is an open-source API gateway built on NGINX and etcd that handles roughly 18,000 requests per second per core with about 0.2ms added latency, and its plugin architecture now extends to AI workloads, offering the same observability, security, and load balancing for LLM traffic as for REST APIs.

Open Source Alternative to: Last 30 days Last commit Repository age Version License Self-hosted Repository Apache APISIX is a high-performance, open-source API gateway designed for teams running microservices, APIs, and increasingly, AI workloads. Built on NGINX and etcd, it handles roughly 18,000 requests per second per core with around 0.2ms added latency. That's not a marketing claim – it's a product of its radixtree route matching and plugin architecture. The gateway is fully dynamic. Configuration changes propagate across the cluster via etcd in real time, with no restarts required. Plugins hot-reload, routes update live, and health checks run continuously. For teams that need to iterate quickly without downtime, this matters. Key capabilities include: Compared to alternatives like Tyk /tyk or KrakenD /krakend , APISIX leans heavily on its plugin ecosystem and the Apache Software Foundation's governance model. It's a top-level ASF project, Apache 2.0 licensed, with a broad community behind it. The AI gateway layer isn't a separate product. It's the same routing and plugin infrastructure applied to LLM traffic, which means you get the same observability, security controls, and load balancing for your AI apps that you already run for your REST APIs. Last 30 days Last commit Repository age Version License Self-hosted Repository Every Sunday we deconstruct one proprietary app and pick the best open source alternatives worth switching to. Stars Last commit License Stars Last commit License Stars Last commit License Stars Last commit License Compare with Stars Stars Stars Last commit License Compare with Last commit License Compare with Last commit License Compare with