What ingress setup would you choose for a new AKS cluster?

I’d start by checking whether the Gateway API meets your needs. It’s a newer Kubernetes traffic-management interface, and several people favor it for new deployments. The API alone isn’t the controller, though, so you still need to select an implementation and confirm it supports the features you need.

If you want an Azure-managed path, look at AKS app routing with Gateway API and Azure Application Gateway for Containers. Check the current feature and exposure requirements against your workloads first. One concern raised is that this option may not suit workloads that need private-only access.

For an open-source option, Envoy Gateway with Gateway API is worth evaluating. It gives you a Gateway API implementation without committing to the Azure-managed route. I’d compare its operational requirements and feature coverage with your team’s needs rather than assuming it’s automatically the easiest choice.

Traditional Ingress can still be a reasonable choice if it already covers your requirements and your team knows how to run it. But for a fresh cluster, I’d avoid picking a controller just because older tutorials use it. Check the current AKS documentation and the project’s support status before settling on a design.

Traefik is another option if its feature set fits. There isn’t one universal winner here: compare the traffic features, maintenance burden, Azure integration, and whether you need public or private exposure. Those details can matter more than the controller’s popularity.