Set up a Kong Gateway Runtime with Docker

Set up a Docker runtime through the Konnect Runtime Manager and configure your Kong Gateway instance to accept configuration from Konnect. The Runtime Manager keeps track of all runtimes associated with the Konnect Cloud account.

You have the following options when configuring a new runtime with Docker:

Use the quick setup script, which generates a data plane running on localhost.
Use the advanced setup to customize your installation.

Note: Kong does not host runtimes. You must install and host your own runtime instances.

Quick setup

Prerequisites

You have Runtime Admin or Organization Admin permissions in Konnect Cloud.
The quick setup script requires Docker and a Unix shell (for example, bash or zshell). Platform-specific tools and permissions:
- All platforms: Docker and jq installed
- Linux: User added to the docker group
- Windows: Docker Desktop installed and integrated with a WSL 2 backend. If you can’t set up a WSL 2 backend, see the advanced instructions for a custom Docker setup instead.

Run the quick setup script

From the left navigation menu, open Runtimes.

For the first runtime, the page opens to a Configure New Runtime form.

Once configured, this page lists all runtimes associated with the Konnect Cloud account.
(Optional) If this is not the first runtime configuration, click Configure New Runtime.
Click Copy Script.

You can expand the codeblock by clicking Show to see the entire script.
Replace the placeholder for <your-password> with your own Konnect Cloud password.
Run the script on any host you choose.

This script creates a Docker container running a simple Kong Gateway instance and connects it to your Konnect Cloud account.
Click Done to go to the Runtime Manager overview.

Once the script has finished running, the Runtimes Manager will include a new entry for your instance.

Advanced setup

Prerequisites

You have Runtime Admin or Organization Admin permissions in Konnect Cloud.
Tools and permissions:
- All platforms: Docker installed
- Linux: User added to the docker group
- Windows and MacOS: Docker Desktop installed

Generate certificates

In Konnect, from the left navigation menu, select Runtimes.

For the first runtime, the page opens to a Configure New Runtime form.

Once configured, this page lists all runtimes associated with the Konnect Cloud account.
(Optional) If this is not the first runtime configuration, click Configure New Runtime.
Open the tab that suits your environment: Linux or Kubernetes.

For an advanced Docker setup, use either tab. Do not use the Quick Setup tab.
Click Generate Certificate.

Three new fields appear: a certificate, a private key, and a root CA certificate. The contents of these fields are unique to each runtime configuration.
Save the contents of each field into a separate file in a safe location:
- Certificate: tls.crt
- Private key: tls.key
- Root CA Certificate: ca.crt
If you navigate away from this page before saving all of the certificate and key files, you will need to regenerate them.
Store the files on your runtime’s local filesystem.

Important: Certificates expire every six (6) months and must be renewed. See Renew Certificates.

Keep the configuration page open for the next section, as you’ll need to refer back to it for the configuration parameters.

Start Kong Gateway

Use the following docker run command sample as a guide to compile your actual values:

      Any Unix shell
    

      Windows PowerShell
    
$ docker run -d --name kong-dp \
  -e "KONG_ROLE=data_plane" \
  -e "KONG_DATABASE=off" \
  -e "KONG_VITALS_TTL_DAYS=732" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_MTLS=pki" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CONTROL_PLANE={example.cp.konnect.foo}:443" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_SERVER_NAME={kong-cpoutlet-example.service}" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT={example.tp.konnect.foo}:443" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_TELEMETRY_SERVER_NAME={kong-telemetry-example.service}" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CERT=/{PATH_TO_FILE}/tls.crt" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CA_CERT=/{PATH_TO_FILE}/ca.crt" \
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CERT_KEY=/{PATH_TO_FILE}/tls.key" \
  --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target={PATH_TO_KEYS_AND_CERTS},readonly \
  -p 8000:8000 \
  kong/kong-gateway:2.8.0.0-alpine
docker run -d --name kong-dp `
  -e "KONG_ROLE=data_plane" `
  -e "KONG_DATABASE=off" `
  -e "KONG_VITALS_TTL_DAYS=732" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_MTLS=pki" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CONTROL_PLANE={EXAMPLE.CP.KONNECT.FOO}:443" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_SERVER_NAME={KONG-CPOUTLET-EXAMPLE.SERVICE}" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT={EXAMPLE.TP.KONNECT.FOO}:443" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_TELEMETRY_SERVER_NAME={KONG-TELEMETRY-EXAMPLE.SERVICE}" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CERT=/{PATH_TO_FILE}/tls.crt" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CA_CERT=/{PATH_TO_FILE}/ca.crt" `
  -e "KONG_CLUSTER_CERT_KEY=/{PATH_TO_FILE}/tls.key" `
  --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)",target={PATH_TO_KEYS_AND_CERTS},readonly `
  -p 8000:8000 `
  kong/kong-gateway:2.8.0.0-alpine

Replace the values in KONG_CLUSTER_CERT, KONG_CLUSTER_CA_CERT, and KONG_CLUSTER_CERT_KEY with the paths to your certificate and key files.
Check the Linux or Kubernetes tabs in the Konnect UI to find the values for KONG_CLUSTER_CONTROL_PLANE, KONG_CLUSTER_SERVER_NAME, KONG_CLUSTER_TELEMETRY_ENDPOINT, and KONG_CLUSTER_TELEMETRY_SERVER_NAME, then substitute them in the example below.

See Parameters for descriptions and the matching fields in Konnect.
-p 8000:8000 sets the proxy URL to http://localhost:8000. If you want to change this, bind the port to a different host. For example, you can explicitly set an IP:
```
   -p 127.0.0.1:8000:8000
```
Run the docker run command with your substituted values.
On the Configure New Runtime page, click Done to go to the Runtime Manager overview.

The Runtime Manager will include a new entry for your instance.

Access services using the proxy URL

Kong Gateway uses port 8000 for the proxy, taking incoming traffic from consumers, and forwarding it to upstream services.

The default proxy URL is http://localhost:8000. If you configured a different host above, replace localhost with your hostname. Use this URL, along with any routes you set, to access your services.

For example, to access a service with the route /mock, use http://localhost:8000/mock, or http://example-host:8000/mock.