How to Install / Upgrade: Gateway API v1.6: TCPRoute and UDPRoute Graduate to Standard

Gateway API v1.6.0 is out as of June 30 of this year. In this release, TCPRoute and UDPRoute graduate to Standard. Gateway API remains the standard for modern, role-oriented, and expressive service networking in Kubernetes. Earlier releases already put a production-grade foundation in place for HTTP and TLS.

To install or upgrade, move your cluster to Gateway API v1.6.0 so you pick up the Standard status of TCPRoute and UDPRoute. Apply the v1.6.0 Gateway API resources for your environment, then bring your Gateway controller and any dependent networking components onto versions that support Gateway API v1.6.0. If you already use Gateway API for HTTP or TLS traffic from earlier releases, treat this as an upgrade to v1.6.0 rather than a greenfield install, and keep your existing role-oriented Gateway setup while adding or enabling TCPRoute and UDPRoute where you need non-HTTP traffic.

Confirm after the upgrade that the installed Gateway API version is v1.6.0 and that TCPRoute and UDPRoute are available as Standard resources, not experimental ones. Check that Gateways still serve the HTTP and TLS paths you already rely on from prior releases, then validate any new TCP or UDP routes end to end. Do not assume older controllers fully implement TCPRoute and UDPRoute at Standard until you have verified them against Gateway API v1.6.0.