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Preview, tunnel, and direct IP arrival methods converging on one gateway route and app inside a cluster
Networking covers how your applications become reachable from the internet. Every access method uses standard Gateway API routing on your cluster. The difference is how traffic arrives at your workers and who manages DNS and certificates.

Preview domains

Instant *.cnap.app URLs for every installation. No DNS, no certificates, no configuration.

Cloudflare Tunnel

Route through Cloudflare’s network using your own account. No public IPs required.

Direct IP

Point your DNS at your worker nodes. Full control over routing and TLS.

Domain routing API

Automate workspace subdomains, preview hostnames, and custom domains.

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Choosing an approach

Preview domainsCloudflare TunnelDirect IP
Public IP requiredNoNoYes
DNS setupAutomaticAutomatic (Akua-managed)You manage A records
TLSAutomaticCloudflare edgeBring your own
Best forDevelopment, demos, quick sharingProduction custom domains without public IPsFull control, existing infrastructure
Traffic pathCloudflare edge → tunnel → appCloudflare edge → tunnel → appDNS → worker node → app

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How routing works

All three options use Gateway API routing on your cluster. When you expose a hostname, a route is created that matches incoming requests by hostname and forwards them to the correct application. A gateway controller on the cluster detects the route and configures the appropriate gateway (Cloudflare Tunnel, Cilium’s built-in envoy proxy, or another compatible controller). Because routing is defined through standard Kubernetes Gateway API resources, it works with GitOps workflows, authored Packages, chart sources, and kubectl apply. Akua’s UI is one way to create routes, not the only way. For Packages that expose web ports through Akua’s generated install flow, Akua can automate routing setup: toggle Expose externally on a port, enter a hostname, and Akua creates the route for you. Chart sources can also create routes through their own values when the Package exposes those inputs.

Domain routing API

Manage preview hostnames, workspace subdomains, and custom domains programmatically.

Installations

Deploy applications to your clusters.

Clusters

Create and manage the clusters your applications run on.

API authentication

Set up API tokens for programmatic access.