Installation Packages
API7 Enterprise is distributed as signed container images on Docker Hub and as Helm charts from the official API7 chart repository.
Container Images
The following official images are published to Docker Hub and signed with Cosign. Use image signature verification to confirm image integrity before deployment.
| Image | Purpose |
|---|---|
api7/api7-ee-3-gateway | Data plane (API gateway) based on Apache APISIX. |
api7/api7-ee-dp-manager | Control plane component that exposes the etcd-compatible API to data planes on mTLS port 7943. |
api7/api7-ee-3-integrated | Integrated control plane image bundling the Dashboard, Admin API, and associated services for single-container deployments. |
api7/api7-ee-developer-portal | Developer Portal backend. |
api7/api7-ee-developer-portal-fe | Developer Portal frontend. |
Gateway Image Contents
Available in API7 Enterprise from version 3.10.9.
The api7/api7-ee-3-gateway image is a distroless image built from scratch. It contains the gateway, the system libraries it needs, CA certificates, time zone data, and a static BusyBox that provides /bin/sh and common utilities such as wget, nc, nslookup, cat, grep, and tail. It does not include curl, getent, Bash, or the apt and dpkg package tools. The /bin/bash path is a wrapper that forwards to the BusyBox shell. The gateway runs as the apisix user with UID 636.
In earlier versions, the image is based on Ubuntu 24.04 and also runs as UID 636. It does not include curl, wget, or nslookup either.
To run network diagnostics from the gateway's point of view, do not add tools to the gateway container. Instead, start a separate container with the tools you need in the gateway's network namespace. This works with both image types:
- On Kubernetes, start an ephemeral debug container in the gateway pod, for example
kubectl debug -n api7 -it <gateway-pod> --image=curlimages/curl:8.10.1 -- curl -v "http://<upstream-host>:<upstream-port>/". - On Docker, join the gateway container's network, for example
docker run --rm --network container:<gateway-container> curlimages/curl:8.10.1 -v "http://<upstream-host>:<upstream-port>/".
Custom images built FROM api7/api7-ee-3-gateway cannot install packages with apt-get. Add files to such images with COPY instead.
The separate api7/api7-ee-3-gateway-distroless image is not published after version 3.10.8. Its existing tags remain available. If you use it, switch to api7/api7-ee-3-gateway.
Pull Images
Images are hosted on Docker Hub by default. For air-gapped environments, pull these images and push them into your private registry.
docker pull api7/api7-ee-3-gateway:<version>
docker pull api7/api7-ee-dp-manager:<version>
docker pull api7/api7-ee-3-integrated:<version>
Replace <version> with the exact tag that matches your target API7 Enterprise release. Always pin to an explicit version in production rather than using latest.
Helm Charts
Helm charts are the recommended way to deploy API7 Enterprise on Kubernetes.
| Chart | Repository | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| API7 Control Plane | api7/api7ee3 | Deploys the Dashboard, Admin API, DP Manager, Developer Portal, and (optionally) a bundled PostgreSQL for evaluation. |
| API7 Data Plane | api7/gateway | Deploys one or more data plane instances that connect to an existing control plane. |
Add the Helm Repository
helm repo add api7 https://charts.api7.ai
helm repo update
See Deploy on Kubernetes for full Helm-based installation steps.
CLI Tools
The following CLI tools are commonly used alongside API7 Enterprise:
| Tool | Purpose | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| ADC | Declarative configuration CLI for API7 Gateway. | See the ADC documentation for installation and usage. |
| kubectl | Kubernetes cluster management. | Install kubectl |
| helm | Kubernetes package management. | Install Helm |
License File
A valid license is required for all API7 Enterprise installations.
- Trial license: Request a trial.
- Production license: Contact your account manager or sales@api7.ai.