---
id: "cilium"
type: "component"
kind: "service-mesh"
provider: "default"
category: "ops"
docs: "https://docs.cilium.io/en/stable/security/network/encryption/"
url: "https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/cilium"
---

# Cilium

eBPF CNI and sidecar-free service mesh with L7 policy, Hubble observability and optional transparent encryption.

| | |
|---|---|
| Provider | [default](https://localhost:3000/catalogue?provider=default) |
| Kind | [Service mesh](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/kinds/service-mesh) |
| Category | Operations |
| Official docs | [https://docs.cilium.io/en/stable/security/network/encryption/](https://docs.cilium.io/en/stable/security/network/encryption/) |

## Properties

| property | type | values | required | kind default | this component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| `circuitBreaking` | boolean | — | no | false | **false** |
| `controlPlanes` | integer | — | no | — | inherited |
| `hubbleObservability` | boolean | — | no | false | inherited |
| `kubeProxyReplacement` | boolean | — | no | false | inherited |
| `managed` | boolean | — | no | false | **false** |
| `mtls` | boolean | — | no | false | **false** |
| `retries` | boolean | — | no | false | **false** |
| `sidecar` | boolean | — | no | true | **false** |
| `transparentEncryption` | enum | `none`, `ipsec`, `wireguard` | no | "none" | inherited |

Bold values are the ones this component pins.

## Rules that apply · 0

No rule selects this kind or its category.

## Other products of the same kind · 11

- [AWS App Mesh](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/aws-app-mesh.md) `aws-app-mesh` — aws
- [Amazon VPC Lattice](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/aws-vpc-lattice.md) `aws-vpc-lattice` — aws
- [Consul Connect](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/consul-connect.md) `consul-connect` — default
- [Dapr](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/dapr.md) `dapr` — default
- [Envoy sidecar](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/envoy-sidecar.md) `envoy-sidecar` — default
- [Istio](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/istio.md) `istio` — default
- [Kmesh](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/kmesh.md) `kmesh` — default
- [Kuma](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/kuma.md) `kuma` — default
- [Linkerd](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/linkerd.md) `linkerd` — default
- [Generic service mesh](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/service-mesh.md) `service-mesh` — default
- [Cloud Service Mesh](https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/google-cloud-service-mesh.md) `google-cloud-service-mesh` — gcp

## Use it in a design

```yaml
nodes:
  - { id: "cilium", component: "cilium" }
```

## Source (`component` YAML, verbatim)

```yaml
# yaml-language-server: $schema=../../schema/component.schema.json
# Cilium: eBPF CNI and service mesh. Sidecar-free datapath (per-node Envoy only for L7),
# transparent encryption (IPsec/WireGuard) is opt-in per "Encryption" in the Cilium docs.
schemaVersion: "1"
type: "component"
id: "cilium"
kind: "service-mesh"
provider: "default"
docs: "https://docs.cilium.io/en/stable/security/network/encryption/"
defaults:
  managed: false
  sidecar: false
  mtls: false
  retries: false
  circuitBreaking: false
properties:
  transparentEncryption:
    type: "enum"
    values: ["none", "ipsec", "wireguard"]
    default: "none"
  hubbleObservability:
    type: "boolean"
    default: false
  kubeProxyReplacement:
    type: "boolean"
    default: false
```

Human page: https://localhost:3000/catalogue/components/cilium