> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.conduktor.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Conduktor component overview

> Conduktor platform components: Console for Kafka management UI, Gateway as Kafka proxy, Cortex for monitoring, and CLI for automation.

Conduktor Platform consists of these components:

* [Console](#console): The centralized UI-based control plane for managing Kafka.
* [Gateway](#gateway): A network proxy for Apache Kafka, complete with an extensible and dynamic plugin mechanism that can be used to add technical and business logic on top of your existing Kafka deployment.
* [Cortex](#cortex): The monitoring component for Conduktor Platform that runs in the background.
* [Conduktor CLI](#conduktor-cli): Our Command Line Interface that lets you automate operations.

## Gateway

Conduktor Gateway is deployed between your client applications and existing Kafka clusters. As it's Kafka protocol compliant, there are minimal adjustments required for clients other than pointing to a new bootstrap server.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/conduktor/YlJn6qrEZm6kp3UE/images/gateway-integration.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=YlJn6qrEZm6kp3UE&q=85&s=7a9fc6538a9ff9a38ca28425d7b35dc6" alt="Conduktor Gateway" width="2968" height="1258" data-path="images/gateway-integration.png" />

### Gateway benefits

This can be used to provide functionality that is not available in Kafka natively, such as:

* **Centrally configure encryption** at the field-level or full payload.
* **Mask sensitive data** and define access control.
* **Set granular RBAC controls**.
* **Leverage multi-tenancy**.
* **Empower development teams** with self-service governance.

Supports all Kafka providers (Confluent, AWS MSK, Redpanda, Aiven, Apache Kafka).

### How it works

Gateway acts as a Kafka-compliant middle layer between clients and Kafka clusters.

#### Authentication

Supports multiple security protocols:

* PLAINTEXT
* SSL
* SASL SSL
* mTLS

#### Interceptors

Use Interceptors to add logic like encryption or filtering. Manage through [API](https://developers.conduktor.io/?product=gateway) <Icon icon="up-right-from-square" />. [More on Interceptors](/guide/conduktor-concepts/interceptors)

#### Processing flow

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A[User App]
    subgraph G [Gateway]
        direction LR
        Auth[Authentication & </br> Authorization]
        subgraph I [Dynamic interceptor pipeline]
            direction LR
            I1(Plugin </br> priority: 1 </br> interceptor)
            I2(Plugin </br> priority: 10 </br> interceptor1 & interceptor2)
            I3(Plugin </br> priority: 42 </br> interceptor)
            I1 <--> I2 <--> I3
        end
        subgraph Core [Core features]
            direction TB
            LT(Logical Topics)
            VC(Virtual clusters)
        end
        Auth <--> I
    end
    subgraph K [Main Kafka cluster]
    B1(broker 1)
    B2(broker 2)
    B3(broker 3)
    B1 === B2 === B3
    end
    A <--> Auth
    I <--> Core
    Core <--> K
```

## Related resources

* [Conduktor in production deployment overview](/guide/conduktor-in-production/)
* [Contact support](https://www.conduktor.io/contact/support) <Icon icon="up-right-from-square" />
* [Give us feedback/request a feature](https://conduktor.io/roadmap) <Icon icon="up-right-from-square" />