# API Gateway [what is](https://www.javatpoint.com/introduction-to-api-gateways)? ### NGINX 1. [NGINX](https://www.nginx.com/resources/glossary/nginx/) is open source software for web serving, reverse proxying, caching, load balancing, media streaming, and more. It started out as a web server designed for maximum performance and stability. In addition to its HTTP server capabilities, NGINX can also function as a proxy server for email (IMAP, POP3, and SMTP) and a reverse proxy and load balancer for HTTP, TCP, and UDP servers. 2. Cloudflare on [what is a reverse proxy](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/cdn/glossary/reverse-proxy/) 3. "[One advantage of using NGINX as an API gateway ](https://www.nginx.com/blog/deploying-nginx-plus-as-an-api-gateway-part-1/#:~:text=One%20advantage%20of%20using%20NGINX,deploy%20a%20separate%20API%20gateway.)is that it can perform that role while simultaneously acting as a reverse proxy, load balancer, and web server for existing HTTP traffic. If NGINX is already part of your application delivery stack then it is generally unnecessary to deploy a separate API gateway" --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://www.opscompendium.com/devops/full-stack-and-ops/api-gateway.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.