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Version: 3.9.x

Enterprise Features Overview

API7 Gateway extends the capabilities of open-source Apache APISIX with enterprise-grade features designed for production deployments at scale. This page summarizes the key differentiators and helps you understand when and why to choose API7 Gateway over the open-source alternative.

Feature Comparison​

CategoryApache APISIX (Open Source)API7 Gateway (Enterprise)
Management InterfaceAdmin API onlyDashboard + Admin API + ADC CLI
ArchitectureSingle-node or etcd-based clusterDecoupled CP/DP with PostgreSQL-backed CP
Access ControlBasic plugin-level configRBAC, permission policies, SSO integration
Multi-TenancyNot supportedGateway Groups with isolated configurations
Audit LoggingNot availableFull audit trail of all CP operations
Secret ManagementEnvironment variablesVault, AWS Secrets Manager integration
Canary ReleasesManual configurationBuilt-in canary release workflow
API VersioningNot supportedService Template versioning with publish workflow
SupportCommunity forumsProfessional support with SLA
Security PatchesCommunity-drivenDedicated security team with CVE response

Centralized Management​

API7 Gateway provides a unified Control Plane that manages all Data Plane instances across your infrastructure:

  • Dashboard: A web-based management interface for configuring routes, services, plugins, consumers, and SSL certificates.
  • Admin API: A RESTful API compatible with APISIX Admin API, enabling programmatic management and automation.
  • ADC (API Declarative CLI): A GitOps-friendly CLI tool for managing gateway configurations as code through declarative YAML files.

Service Template and Publishing Workflow​

Unlike open-source APISIX where route configurations take effect immediately, API7 Gateway introduces a staged workflow:

  1. Service Template: Define your API configuration (routes, plugins, upstream) as a reusable template.
  2. Version Management: Create and manage versions of your service templates, enabling change tracking and rollback.
  3. Publish to Gateway Group: Deploy a specific version of a service template to one or more Gateway Groups, providing controlled rollouts.

This workflow enables change management practices such as peer review, staged rollouts, and rollback capabilities.

Gateway Groups​

Gateway Groups allow you to organize Data Plane instances into logical clusters, each with its own configuration:

  • Environment Isolation: Separate configurations for development, staging, and production.
  • Regional Deployment: Different configurations for different geographic regions.
  • Tenant Isolation: Isolated gateway configurations for different teams or business units.

Security and Compliance​

Enterprise-grade security features include:

  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Granular permissions for Dashboard and API access.
  • Single Sign-On (SSO): Integration with corporate identity providers via OIDC.
  • Audit Logging: Complete record of all administrative actions for compliance.
  • mTLS between CP and DP: Encrypted and authenticated communication between Control Plane and Data Plane.
  • Image Signature Verification: Verify the integrity of container images before deployment.

For details, see Security and Compliance.

AI Gateway​

API7 Gateway includes AI Gateway capabilities for managing Large Language Model (LLM) traffic:

  • Centralized LLM provider access management
  • Token-level rate limiting and cost control
  • Content-based guardrails and filtering
  • Multi-model load balancing and failover

Professional Support​

API7 Gateway includes professional support options:

  • Dedicated support team with defined SLAs
  • Security patch backporting
  • Version upgrade assistance
  • Architecture review and optimization guidance

Next Steps​