Last Updated: November 21, 2025
Istio
Service mesh platform
Core Components
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
Envoy Proxy
|
Sidecar proxy for services |
Pilot
|
Traffic management |
Citadel
|
Certificate management |
Galley
|
Configuration validation |
VirtualService
|
Traffic routing rules |
DestinationRule
|
Traffic policies |
Traffic Management
apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
name: reviews
spec:
hosts:
- reviews
http:
- match:
- headers:
end-user:
exact: jason
route:
- destination:
host: reviews
subset: v2
- route:
- destination:
host: reviews
subset: v1Common Commands
istioctl install
Install Istio
kubectl label namespace default istio-injection=enabled
Enable sidecar injection
istioctl analyze
Analyze configuration
istioctl dashboard kiali
Open Kiali dashboard
Best Practices
- Use VirtualServices for routing
- Enable mTLS for security
- Use DestinationRules for load balancing
- Monitor with Kiali and Grafana
💡 Pro Tips
Quick Reference
Istio adds observability, security, and control to microservices