Skipper

Spec sheet

Purpose

Skipper is an HTTP router and reverse proxy for service composition, including Kubernetes Ingress use cases.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Deployment

The project provides a Linux binary example and instructions for running Skipper in a Docker container.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Support

The project directs user and developer questions to its public Google Group and Slack channel, and also suggests creating an issue.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

License

The project publishes a LICENSE file in its GitHub repository.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Headquarters

Berlin, GermanyRead 28 Sep 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Founded

2008Read 28 Sep 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Maker

The project is maintained under Zalando; the company says it was founded in Berlin in 2008.Read 5 Oct 2026 · corporate.zalando.com

Authentication

The README says Skipper can act as an authentication proxy using Basic auth, OAuth2, or OpenID Connect, including audit logging.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Built-in components

The project includes the eskip routing configuration language, routesrv, and a Kubernetes validation webhook for checking manifests.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Community support

The README directs user and developer questions to a public Google Group, a Slack channel, or GitHub issues.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Configuration sources

The README lists etcd, Kubernetes Ingress, static files, route strings, and custom configuration sources for routing rules.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Distribution

The README documents installation from a binary archive, from source, and using a Docker image.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Filters

Filters can modify requests and responses and are configured independently for each route.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Kubernetes

Skipper can run as a Kubernetes Ingress controller.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Kubernetes capabilities

Skipper can run as a Kubernetes Ingress controller and supports features including rate limiters, circuit breakers, blue-green deployments, and shadow traffic.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Maker founded

Zalando says it was founded in Berlin in 2008.Read 5 Oct 2026 · corporate.zalando.com

Maker headquarters

Zalando's corporate page identifies Berlin as its headquarters.Read 5 Oct 2026 · corporate.zalando.com

Protocol support

The project README lists support for HTTP/1.1, H2C, and HTTP/2.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Requirements

The README says building and running Skipper requires the latest version of Go.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Requirements and extensibility

Building and running Skipper requires the latest Go version, and users can extend it with custom filters, predicates, or data sources.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Route sources

It supports route data from sources including etcd, Kubernetes Ingress, static files, route strings, and custom configuration sources, with routing rules updated without downtime.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Routing

It identifies routes using request properties such as path, method, host, and headers.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Routing and filters

It matches requests using properties such as path, method, host, and headers, and applies independently configured filters to modify requests and responses.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Scale

The documentation says Skipper is designed to handle more than 800,000 dynamically configured HTTP route definitions.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Security feature

The filters documentation describes mutual TLS authentication that validates client certificates against configured system CA certificates.Read 5 Oct 2026 · opensource.zalando.com

Traffic handling

Skipper can stream incoming requests and backend responses simultaneously, and can act as a final endpoint such as a static file server or diagnostic mock backend.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Where Specifiction places it

• Reverse Proxy Software#20 of 337.3
• Kubernetes Ingress Controllers#18 of 287.2