# Install NGINX Gateway Fabric on OpenShift

Type of document: How-to guide
Product: NGINX Gateway Fabric
> Deploy F5 NGINX Gateway Fabric on Red Hat OpenShift through OperatorHub and configure it using the NginxGatewayFabric custom resource.

---


## Overview

This guide details how to install F5 NGINX Gateway Fabric on Red Hat OpenShift through OperatorHub. You can then configure it with the `NginxGatewayFabric` custom resource.

## Before you begin

Before starting, we recommend you have the following:

- A running Red Hat OpenShift cluster with cluster administrator privileges.
- Ability to pull images from `ghcr.io` (or a mirrored registry if required by your environment).

- Optional integrations
  - F5 NGINX One dataplane API key if you plan to integrate with [F5 NGINX One Console](https://docs.nginx.com/nginx-one/).
  - F5 NGINX Plus entitlements if you plan to run NGINX Gateway Fabric with F5 NGINX Plus.

NGINX Gateway Fabric provides first-class OpenShift support with Universal Base Image (UBI)-based images. Use the `-ubi` tags shown in the custom resource definition (CRD) examples. Defaults are compatible with OpenShift Security Context Constraints (SCCs) for non-root operation. If your cluster enforces custom SCCs or policies, bind the appropriate SCC to NGINX Gateway Fabric service accounts.

This section covers the necessary steps to have NGINX Gateway Fabric fully running in an OpenShift environment when installing through the OperatorHub

## Install NGINX Gateway Fabric Operator from OperatorHub

  1. Navigate to the Red Hat Catalog: https://catalog.redhat.com/en  
  1. Search for "NGINX Gateway Fabric Operator" in the searchbar at the top
  1. Select NGINX Gateway Fabric Operator
  1. Select **Deploy & use**
  1. Choose the appropriate architecture and release tag
  1. Complete the installation. Wait until the Operator status shows Installed

## Create a project

In your cluster, create a dedicated project (namespace) for NGINX Gateway Fabric components.

```shell
oc new-project nginx-gateway-fabric
```

## Create TLS secrets for internal communication (optional)

If you want NGINX Gateway Fabric to auto-generate internal certificates, skip this step. To provide your own TLS secrets, create the following:

Agent TLS (used by internal agent)

```shell
oc create secret tls agent-tls \
  --cert=agent.crt \
  --key=agent.key \
  -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

Server TLS (used by internal server)

```shell
oc create secret tls server-tls \
  --cert=server.crt \
  --key=server.key \
  -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

## Create the NginxGatewayFabric custom resource

1. Navigate to the "Installed Operators" section and select the "NGINX Gateway Fabric" Operator
1. To create a new `NginxGatewayFabric` resource, select the tab labeled "NginxGatewayFabric"
1. Next, select "Create NginxGatewayFabric"
1. In this menue you will see "Forum view" and "YAML view". Select "YAML view"
1. You will now see a YAML configuration for the `NginxGatewayFabric` resource
1. Near the bottom, press the "Create" button

## Integrate with NGINX One Console (optional)

If you want to use NGINX One Console to monitor NGINX Gateway Fabric, create a secret for the dataplane key (replace VALUE with your key).

```shell
oc create secret generic nginxone-dataplane-key \
  --from-literal=key=VALUE \
  -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

Reference this secret in `spec.nginx.nginxOneConsole.dataplaneKeySecretName` in your `NginxGatewayFabric` resource.

## Configure NGINX Plus licensing (optional)

If you plan to use NGINX Plus, set `spec.nginx.plus: true` in your `NginxGatewayFabric` resource. Add image pull credentials, and create a license secret if needed.

Example license secret name referenced by `usage.secretName`

```shell
oc create secret generic nplus-license \
  --from-file=nginx-repo.crt=/path/to/nginx-repo.crt \
  --from-file=nginx-repo.key=/path/to/nginx-repo.key \
  -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

## Configure exposure options for OpenShift (optional)

Choose one exposure option:

If a LoadBalancer is available, set `spec.nginx.service.type: LoadBalancer`. Optionally set:

- `externalTrafficPolicy: Local` to preserve client source IPs.
- `loadBalancerClass`, `loadBalancerIP`, and `loadBalancerSourceRanges` per your environment.

If a LoadBalancer is not available, set `spec.nginx.service.type: NodePort`, then create an OpenShift Route to the NGINX Gateway Fabric front-end Service (for HTTP/HTTPS traffic):

```shell
oc create route edge ngf \
  --service=nginx-gateway-fabric-nginx \
  --port=http \
  -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

For TLS passthrough, add `--passthrough` and target the appropriate Service port.

## Validate the installation

Verify that deployments and services are running, and confirm the GatewayClass:

```shell
oc get pods -n nginx-gateway-fabric
oc get svc -n nginx-gateway-fabric
oc get gatewayclass
```

If troubleshooting is required, review logs

Controller logs

```shell
oc logs deploy/ngf-nginx-gateway -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

Data plane logs

```shell
oc logs deploy/ngf-nginx -n nginx-gateway-fabric
```

## Perform a functional check (optional)

Create a Gateway and HTTPRoute to validate routing:

```yaml
apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: Gateway
metadata:
  name: http
  namespace: nginx-gateway-fabric
spec:
  gatewayClassName: nginx
  listeners:
    - name: http
      port: 80
      protocol: HTTP
      hostname: example.com
      allowedRoutes:
        namespaces:
          from: Same
---
apiVersion: gateway.networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: HTTPRoute
metadata:
  name: echo
  namespace: nginx-gateway-fabric
spec:
  parentRefs:
    - name: http
  hostnames:
    - example.com
  rules:
    - backendRefs:
        - name: echo
          port: 8080
```

Ensure you have a Service and Deployment named `echo` that expose port 8080. If you are using a LoadBalancer Service, send a request to the load balancer IP address. Otherwise, use an OpenShift Route as configured.

## See also

- [Red Hat Catalog](https://catalog.redhat.com/en)
- [Install NGINX Gateway Fabric with Helm](/ngf/install/helm.md) 
- [Secure certificates for NGINX Gateway Fabric](/ngf/install/secure-certificates.md)