Kong 1.1 introduces significant advancements in its open-source platform, building on its previous release with support for service mesh and unveiling new features such as Declarative Configuration and DB-less Mode. These enhancements allow users to manage their system's state using a single YAML or JSON file, reducing complexity, increasing automation, and facilitating flexible deployment options, including Kubernetes and service mesh support. The DB-less Mode enables users to maintain their configurations in-memory, enhancing resource efficiency and system resiliency by eliminating database dependencies. Additional features include entity tagging for improved tracking and search accuracy, automatic bulk database import, transparent proxying, and enhanced orchestration for Kubernetes deployments, alongside various improvements and bug fixes. The release emphasizes ease of use, system performance, and flexibility, inviting feedback from the community to further refine the platform.