Kubernetes introduced the Ingress API in 2015 to manage cluster traffic, but it was eventually surpassed by more advanced tools like Kong Gateway. This led to the development of the Gateway API, launched at KubeCon San Diego in 2019, which has now achieved General Availability (GA) status. The Gateway API enhances Kubernetes with support for L4 traffic, advanced routing capabilities, and vendor-neutral configuration, facilitating data portability and enabling developers to work seamlessly across platforms. It represents a significant shift towards open standards, driven by a collaborative effort among companies such as Google, Kong, VMware, and Isovalent. Kong, a major contributor to the project, offers the Kong Ingress Controller which integrates these capabilities, demonstrating the Gateway API's potential to redefine API gateway functionalities within Kubernetes. The project underscores the principles of open source, with community-driven development leading to an industry-standard solution.