Overview
Istio is an open-source service mesh that layers transparently onto existing distributed applications. It extends Kubernetes to establish a programmable, application-aware network. Istio provides features for traffic management, security, and observability without requiring changes to application code. It works with both Kubernetes and traditional workloads, bringing standard, universal traffic management, telemetry, and security to complex deployments. Istio enables developers to connect, secure, control, and observe services. It allows operators to manage traffic flow and enforce policies. With features like mTLS authentication, authorization, and encryption, Istio simplifies service-to-service security. Istio's zero-trust tunnel delivers layer 4 performance and security, and the Envoy service proxy provides layer 7 features. Istio is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation graduated project.