• ROUTING
  • TARGETS
  • UPDATES
  • HUMAN

How to manage upstream traffic targets with your AI

Connect Kong Gateway to your AI client to control request distribution. You can build and modify your traffic routing architecture without touching the Kong Admin API directly.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I manage Kong upstreams using AI?

Your AI uses the Kong Gateway MCP to create new upstreams, add specific targets, and update existing configurations. This allows you to manage how traffic hits your backend services through conversational commands. You get full control over your routing logic and target health.

Routing outcomes

Traffic control outcomes

What happens when you delegate routing tasks to your agent.

ROUTING

New upstreams ready

The AI builds the logical grouping for your services. You get a configured upstream ready to receive traffic immediately.

TARGETS

Backend nodes mapped

Your agent adds specific IP addresses or hostnames to your upstreams. This connects your gateway to the actual services running in your infrastructure.

UPDATES

Live config changes

Modify existing upstream settings on the fly. Your AI adjusts the configuration to match your current service requirements.

HUMAN

Manual oversight needed

You still decide which targets are healthy and when to pull a service out of rotation. The AI executes your decisions, but you hold the steering wheel.

The workflow

What your AI does when a request arrives.

The AI translates your intent into specific Kong Gateway API calls.

  1. Identify existing setup

    The agent checks your current Kong environment to see what upstreams and targets are already active.

    list_upstreamslist_targets

  2. Build new routing groups

    When you ask for a new service group, the AI sets up the logical upstream container.

    create_upstream

  3. Assign backend nodes

    The agent attaches specific hostnames or IP addresses to the upstreams you just created or modified.

    create_target

  4. Adjust configurations

    If a service changes, the AI updates the upstream properties to reflect the new state.

    update_upstream

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to begin managing your Kong Gateway.

Starting points

Swap out the service names and IP addresses with your actual infrastructure details.

Kong Gateway Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_YvcjgDsnuK2PnJrPLDW7o9w6piYUNvhDJHjFGlVO/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Kong Gateway capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kong-gateway-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_YvcjgDsnuK2PnJrPLDW7o9w6piYUNvhDJHjFGlVO/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • List all my current Kong upstreams so I can see what's running.

  • Create a new upstream named 'payment-service' for my backend.

  • Add a target with the IP 192.168.1.50 to the 'payment-service' upstream.

  • Update the 'payment-service' upstream to change its configuration.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Kong Gateway once, then ask.

Just link your Kong instance to Vinkius. Your credentials stay encrypted and you can start managing traffic through any MCP-compatible client immediately.

Connect Kong Gateway to your AI

FAQ

How the Kong Gateway MCP behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI delete upstreams or targets?

    No. The current tools only allow for creating, listing, and updating. Deletion must be done manually by you.

  • 02

    Will the AI change my existing routes?

    No. The tools are limited to upstreams and targets. It cannot modify Kong routes or plugins.

  • 03

    How does the AI know which targets to add?

    You must provide the specific IP addresses or hostnames in your prompt. The AI cannot guess your internal network topology.

  • 04

    Can I see a list of all my targets?

    Yes. You can ask the AI to list all targets to get a clear view of your current backend mapping.

  • 05

    Does the AI handle load balancing logic?

    The AI configures the upstream settings that define how Kong handles load balancing, but you decide the parameters.

  • More questions about Kong Gateway? The Connector page answers them. See everything the Kong Gateway Connector can do

Connect Kong Gateway to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more