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Skipper

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What Skipper is

Skipper is a free, open-source HTTP router and reverse proxy maintained under Zalando. It composes services by matching requests on properties such as path, method, host, and headers, then applying independently configured filters to change requests or responses. Skipper can stream incoming requests and backend responses at the same time, or serve as a final endpoint, including for static files or diagnostic mock responses. Its routing rules can come from etcd, Kubernetes Ingress, static files, route strings, or custom configuration sources, and can be updated without downtime. It can run as a Kubernetes Ingress controller, with support for rate limiters, circuit breakers, blue-green deployments, and shadow traffic. The project documents HTTP/1.1, H2C, and HTTP/2 support, TLS termination, response caching, and WebSockets. Authentication proxy options include Basic authentication, OAuth2, and OpenID Connect, with audit logging; a mutual TLS filter validates client certificates against configured system CA certificates. Skipper includes the eskip routing language, routesrv, and a Kubernetes manifest validation webhook. It is self-hosted and available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The documentation describes handling more than 800,000 dynamically configured HTTP route definitions.

Who it suits

Skipper suits teams that need to route traffic among services, including teams using Kubernetes Ingress. It can also fit deployments that need customizable route filters, authentication proxy options, or routing rules from multiple configuration sources.

What it does well

Free and open source.
Supports Kubernetes Ingress use cases.
Route rules can update without downtime.
Supports HTTP/1.1, H2C, and HTTP/2.
Offers rate limiting, TLS termination, and WebSockets.
Extensible with custom filters, predicates, and data sources.

What to know first

Self-hosted deployment requires operating the software.
Building and running it requires the latest Go version.
No free trial is offered.

Limits

Skipper is free and open source, with no paid plan or free-plan quota listed. Building and running it requires the latest version of Go.

Getting started

Choose Linux, macOS, Windows, or a self-hosted deployment environment.
Install from a binary archive, build from source, or use the documented Docker image.
For a source build or run, provide the latest version of Go.
Supply routing rules from a supported source, such as Kubernetes Ingress, etcd, static files, or route strings.
Configure route matching and any filters required for your routes.

Verdict

Choose Skipper if you need a self-hosted HTTP router with Kubernetes Ingress support and configurable routing and filters. It is also suited to teams that want to supply routing data from sources such as etcd, static files, or custom configuration. Look elsewhere if you need a hosted service or do not want to manage a Go-based deployment.

Questions

How much does Skipper cost?

Skipper is free and open source.

Which platforms does it support?

It is listed for Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted deployment.

Can it act as a Kubernetes Ingress controller?

Yes. Skipper can run as a Kubernetes Ingress controller.

Which routing configuration sources does it support?

Listed sources include etcd, Kubernetes Ingress, static files, route strings, and custom configuration sources.

What protocols does it support?

The project README lists HTTP/1.1, H2C, and HTTP/2.

Who maintains Skipper?

The project is maintained under Zalando, which says it was founded in Berlin in 2008.

Facts from Skipper's own pages

Authentication: The README says Skipper can act as an authentication proxy using Basic auth, OAuth2, or OpenID Connect, including audit logging. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Built-in components: The project includes the eskip routing configuration language, routesrv, and a Kubernetes validation webhook for checking manifests. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Community support: The README directs user and developer questions to a public Google Group, a Slack channel, or GitHub issues. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Configuration sources: The README lists etcd, Kubernetes Ingress, static files, route strings, and custom configuration sources for routing rules. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Deployment: The project provides a Linux binary example and instructions for running Skipper in a Docker container. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Distribution: The README documents installation from a binary archive, from source, and using a Docker image. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Filters: Filters can modify requests and responses and are configured independently for each route. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Founded: 2008 · opensource.zalando.com, 28 Sept 2026
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany · opensource.zalando.com, 28 Sept 2026
Kubernetes: Skipper can run as a Kubernetes Ingress controller. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Kubernetes capabilities: Skipper can run as a Kubernetes Ingress controller and supports features including rate limiters, circuit breakers, blue-green deployments, and shadow traffic. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
License: The project publishes a LICENSE file in its GitHub repository. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Maker: The project is maintained under Zalando; the company says it was founded in Berlin in 2008. · corporate.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Maker founded: Zalando says it was founded in Berlin in 2008. · corporate.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Maker headquarters: Zalando's corporate page identifies Berlin as its headquarters. · corporate.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Protocol support: The project README lists support for HTTP/1.1, H2C, and HTTP/2. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Purpose: Skipper is an HTTP router and reverse proxy for service composition, including Kubernetes Ingress use cases. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Requirements: The README says building and running Skipper requires the latest version of Go. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Requirements and extensibility: Building and running Skipper requires the latest Go version, and users can extend it with custom filters, predicates, or data sources. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Route sources: It supports route data from sources including etcd, Kubernetes Ingress, static files, route strings, and custom configuration sources, with routing rules updated without downtime. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Routing: It identifies routes using request properties such as path, method, host, and headers. · github.com, 5 Oct 2026
Routing and filters: It matches requests using properties such as path, method, host, and headers, and applies independently configured filters to modify requests and responses. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Scale: The documentation says Skipper is designed to handle more than 800,000 dynamically configured HTTP route definitions. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026
Security feature: The filters documentation describes mutual TLS authentication that validates client certificates against configured system CA certificates. · opensource.zalando.com, 5 Oct 2026

Where Skipper stands on Freedom251

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