Overview¶
WSO2 API Manager enables you to expose and manage APIs across multiple gateway runtimes through a unified control plane. This single control plane model allows organizations to design, publish, govern, and secure APIs centrally, while deploying them to gateway runtimes that best align with their infrastructure, compliance, and operational needs.
With this capability, you can seamlessly work with different gateway types without compromising on governance, visibility, or lifecycle control.
Supported gateway types include:
- Platform Gateway – A lightweight, WSO2 gateway distribution that connects a self-hosted runtime to the API Manager Control Plane for centrally managed hybrid deployments.
- Classic Gateway (Universal) – The traditional WSO2 API Manager gateway runtime with Synapse-based mediation and gateway capabilities.
- Third-Party Gateways – Integration with supported external gateways, enabling centralized management of APIs deployed across heterogeneous environments.
WSO2 Gateways¶
WSO2 Gateways provide self-hosted runtimes that allow you to deploy APIs within your own infrastructure while maintaining centralized control from the API Manager control plane.
The Platform Gateway is designed for the WSO2 API Platform experience. It is a runtime that is registered from the Admin Portal, making it suitable for hybrid deployments where the runtime remains close to your services while management stays centralized.
The Classic Gateway (Universal) is the established API Manager gateway runtime. It is suitable when you need the traditional gateway behavior and Synapse-based mediation capabilities documented under Classic Gateway.
This model is ideal for organizations that require:
- Full control over runtime environments
- Data residency and compliance alignment
- Isolation across network boundaries
- Flexible deployment topologies (VM, Docker, Kubernetes)
With WSO2 Gateways, you get the best of both worlds: centralized API management and localized runtime execution.
For more information, see:
Third-Party Gateways¶
WSO2 API Manager also supports a federated gateway model, allowing you to manage APIs deployed on supported external gateway platforms.
This approach enables organizations to:
- Govern APIs across multiple gateway vendors
- Maintain a single source of truth for API definitions and policies
- Achieve consistency in security, lifecycle, and governance across distributed environments
For more information, see: