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How Kong’s scores are calculated

The full audit trail, recomputed from the verdict data at build time through the same code that produced the leaderboard: verdict × quality × story weight per cell, cells sum to dimension scores, dimensions blend into the PA Score. Every number on the product page is reproducible from this page alone; for why the formula looks like this, see the methodology.

verdict factors: full ×1.0 · partial ×0.6 · disputed ×0.3 · none ×0.0 · n/a excluded from both sides · cell points = weight × quality × factor · cell max = weight × 10

PA Score36/100

Agent-ready 48.4 × 0.30 = 14.52

API quality 18.9 × 0.20 = 3.78

Openness 59.0 × 0.20 = 11.80

Built-in AI 10.3 × 0.15 = 1.55

Automation 31.0 × 0.15 = 4.65

(14.52 + 3.78 + 11.80 + 1.55 + 4.65) ÷ (0.30 + 0.20 + 0.20 + 0.15 + 0.15) = 36.30 ÷ 1.00 = 36.3

Scores are stored to 1 decimal; the product page’s pills round to whole numbers for display. Each dimension below shows the stories, verdicts, and cited evidence behind its number.

Agent-ready48.4/100×0.30 of the PA blend

Outside-in: can YOUR agent reach and drive this product — API, MCP, CLI, headless runs, agent docs.

Point an agent at llms.txt or agent-oriented docsweight 2

2 (weight) × 8 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 16.0 of 20 max

  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 200 at https://developer.konghq.com/llms.txt # developer.konghq.com > Kong's developer documentation for Kong Gateway, Kong Konnect, Kong AI Gateway, Kong Mesh, and”

Run the product headlessly / in CI for automationweight 2

2 (weight) × 8 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 16.0 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK is a command line tool that facilitates API Lifecycle Automation (APIOps) by offering a comprehensive toolkit of commands designed to orchestrate and automate the entire pr”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Sophisticated deployment models like Declarative Databaseless Deployment and Hybrid Deployment (control plane/data plane separation) without any vendor lock-in.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Advanced routing, load balancing, health checking - all configurable via a RESTful admin API or declarative configuration.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“there is also a docker installation procedure if you’d prefer to run the Kong Gateway in DB-less mode.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“:8001 - configure Kong using Admin API or via [decK](https://github.com/kong/deck)”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/kongctl/“kongctl | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“You can use the quickstart script to get an instance of Kong Gateway running almost instantly”

Plug MCP servers into this product so it can use their toolsweight 3

3 (weight) × 4 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 30 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/mcp/“MCP Traffic Gateway”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/catalog.md“Catalog as one inventory across APIs, API packages, AI Models, MCP servers, and agents”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“MCP traffic governance, MCP security and MCP observability in addition to MCP autogeneration from any RESTful API.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect“Auto-discover APIs and compose endpoints into MCP tools”
  • [claimed-docs] https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect“Auto-generate MCP servers that leverage composed MCP tools. One-click deploy to Kong AI Gateway infrastructure.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/a2a.md“AI Gateway acts as a control and observability layer for A2A traffic, enabling you to route agent-to-agent requests, extract task metadata, and rewrite agent card URLs so clients route through the Gateway.”

Connect an agent via an official MCP serverweight 3

3 (weight) × 8 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 24.0 of 30 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/“Kong Konnect MCP Server”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/“official MCP server documented at https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/mcp/“Gain control and visibility over AI agent infrastructure with AI Gateway-driven MCP capabilities”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/mcp/“MCP Traffic Gateway”
  • [claimed-docs] https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect“Auto-discover APIs and compose endpoints into MCP tools”
  • [claimed-docs] https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect“Auto-generate MCP servers that leverage composed MCP tools. One-click deploy to Kong AI Gateway infrastructure.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“MCP traffic governance, MCP security and MCP observability in addition to MCP autogeneration from any RESTful API.”

Use an official CLIweight 2

2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK is a command line tool that facilitates API Lifecycle Automation (APIOps) by offering a comprehensive toolkit of commands designed to orchestrate and automate the entire pr”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/kongctl/“kongctl | Kong Docs”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“official CLI documented at https://developer.konghq.com/deck/”

Drive the product through a documented public APIweight 3

3 (weight) × 8 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 24.0 of 30 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Advanced routing, load balancing, health checking - all configurable via a RESTful admin API or declarative configuration.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“:8001 - configure Kong using Admin API or via [decK](https://github.com/kong/deck)”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/api/“Directory of OpenAPI specifications for various Kong APIs.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“Kong Gateway runs in front of any RESTful API and can be extended through modules and plugins.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“Tools for managing Konnect and Kong Gateway”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/swagger.json, https://developer.konghq.com/api/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”

Issue scoped/least-privilege API credentials for an agentweight 2

2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Authentication and authorization for APIs using methods like JWT, basic auth, OAuth, ACLs and more.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway/entities/vault.md“Vaults allow you to securely store and then reference secrets from within other entities”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway/entities/vault.md“Vaults allow you to securely store and then reference secrets from within other entities, ensuring that secrets aren't visible in plaintext throughout the platform.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://konghq.com/products/kong-konnect“Define entitlements, meter, and bill against agent context consumption for everything from the agent to the LLM to the MCP server to MCP tools.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“MCP traffic governance, MCP security and MCP observability in addition to MCP autogeneration from any RESTful API.”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/“official MCP server documented at https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/”

Build against official SDKsweight 2

2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/api/“Directory of OpenAPI specifications for various Kong APIs.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/kongctl/“kongctl | Kong Docs”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/swagger.json, https://developer.konghq.com/api/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”

Subscribe to events via webhooksweight 2

2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max

no evidence cited — the verdict rests on absence of evidence, re-checked on refresh

Agent-ready = 101.6 ÷ 210 × 100 = 48.4

API quality18.9/100×0.20 of the PA blend

The programmable surface once an agent is there — machine-readable spec, interactive docs, sandbox, versioning discipline.

Explore an interactive API reference with runnable examplesweight 2

2 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 6.0 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/dev-portal.md“It enables developers to browse and search API documentation, try API operations, and manage their own credentials.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/dev-portal.md“Dev Portal APIs allow you to publish APIs using OpenAPI or AsyncAPI specifications and Markdown documentation.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/api/“Directory of OpenAPI specifications for various Kong APIs.”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/swagger.json, https://developer.konghq.com/api/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”

Download a machine-readable API spec (OpenAPI or equivalent)weight 2

2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/api/“Directory of OpenAPI specifications for various Kong APIs.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/dev-portal.md“Dev Portal APIs allow you to publish APIs using OpenAPI or AsyncAPI specifications and Markdown documentation.”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/swagger.json, https://developer.konghq.com/api/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”

Test against a sandbox environment without touching production dataweight 1

1 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 10 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/dev-portal.md“It enables developers to browse and search API documentation, try API operations, and manage their own credentials.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“The script creates a Control Plane in Konnect and deploys a local Data Plane using Docker. All licensing is handled automatically by Konnect.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“You can use the quickstart script to get an instance of Kong Gateway running almost instantly”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“there is also a docker installation procedure if you’d prefer to run the Kong Gateway in DB-less mode.”

Rely on versioned APIs with a documented deprecation policyweight 2

2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/api/“Directory of OpenAPI specifications for various Kong APIs.”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developer.konghq.com/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/swagger.json, https://developer.konghq.com/api/openapi.json, https://developer.konghq.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”

API quality = 13.2 ÷ 70 × 100 = 18.9

Openness59.0/100×0.20 of the PA blend

Can you leave, inspect, or self-host — data export, open source, portability.

Do everything through the API that I can do in the UIweight 2

2 (weight) × 7 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 14.0 of 20 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“:8001 - configure Kong using Admin API or via [decK](https://github.com/kong/deck)”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“:8002 - access Kong's management Web UI ([Kong Manager](https://github.com/Kong/kong-manager)) on [localhost:8002](http://localhost:8002)”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/api/“Directory of OpenAPI specifications for various Kong APIs.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/kongctl/“kongctl | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“Tools for managing Konnect and Kong Gateway”

Export all of my data in open formats and leaveweight 3

3 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 10.8 of 30 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK is a command line tool that facilitates API Lifecycle Automation (APIOps) by offering a comprehensive toolkit of commands designed to orchestrate and automate the entire pr”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Sophisticated deployment models like Declarative Databaseless Deployment and Hybrid Deployment (control plane/data plane separation) without any vendor lock-in.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“Tools for managing Konnect and Kong Gateway”

Read the product's source under an open licenseweight 2

2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Let’s test drive Kong by adding authentication to an API in under 5 minutes.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“there is also a docker installation procedure if you’d prefer to run the Kong Gateway in DB-less mode.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Let's test drive Kong by adding authentication to an API in under 5 minutes.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“there is also a docker installation procedure if you’d prefer to run the Kong Gateway in DB-less mode”

Self-host the core productweight 3

3 (weight) × 9 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 27.0 of 30 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Sophisticated deployment models like Declarative Databaseless Deployment and Hybrid Deployment (control plane/data plane separation) without any vendor lock-in.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“there is also a docker installation procedure if you’d prefer to run the Kong Gateway in DB-less mode.”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“:8001 - configure Kong using Admin API or via [decK](https://github.com/kong/deck)”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“Kong Gateway runs in front of any RESTful API and can be extended through modules and plugins.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“You can use the quickstart script to get an instance of Kong Gateway running almost instantly”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Kong runs natively on Kubernetes thanks to its official Kubernetes Ingress Controller.”

Openness = 59.0 ÷ 100 × 100 = 59.0

Built-in AI10.3/100×0.15 of the PA blend

Inside-out: how agentic the product itself is for its users — built-in assistants, autonomous features.

Get AI-generated insights and suggestions from my data inside the productweight 2

2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“60+ AI features like AI observability, semantic security and caching, semantic routing and more.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway.md“AI Gateway addresses these challenges with a high-performance control plane that secures, governs, and observes AI-native systems end to end.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/ai-otel-metrics.md“AI Gateway can export OpenTelemetry (OTLP) metrics for generative AI, MCP, and A2A traffic through an OpenTelemetry AI Policy.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/gateway.md“Konnect lets you catalog, connect to, and monitor the status of all API Gateway control planes (CPs) and data plane nodes (DPs) in one place.”

Set up automations that run autonomously in the backgroundweight 2

n/a — not applicable to this product: excluded from numerator and denominator

no evidence cited — the verdict rests on absence of evidence, re-checked on refresh

Delegate tasks to a built-in AI assistant inside the productweight 3

3 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 30 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/“Connectivity and governance layer for modern AI-native applications”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/mcp/“Gain control and visibility over AI agent infrastructure with AI Gateway-driven MCP capabilities”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“60+ AI features like AI observability, semantic security and caching, semantic routing and more.”

Operate the product with natural-language commandsweight 2

2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/“Kong Konnect MCP Server”
  • [probe] https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/“official MCP server documented at https://developer.konghq.com/konnect-platform/konnect-mcp/”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/ai-clis.md“AI Gateway can proxy requests from AI command-line tools to LLM providers. This gives you centralized control over AI traffic: log all requests, track costs across teams, enforce rate limits, or apply security policies and guardrails.”

Built-in AI = 7.2 ÷ 70 × 100 = 10.3

Automation31.0/100×0.15 of the PA blend

Depth of automation primitives — rules, scheduling, bulk operations, webhooks.

Perform bulk operations across many items at onceweight 2

2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK is a command line tool that facilitates API Lifecycle Automation (APIOps) by offering a comprehensive toolkit of commands designed to orchestrate and automate the entire pr”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/kongctl/“kongctl | Kong Docs”
  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“:8001 - configure Kong using Admin API or via [decK](https://github.com/kong/deck)”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“Tools for managing Konnect and Kong Gateway”

Define rules that trigger actions automatically on eventsweight 3

3 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 9.0 of 30 max

  • [github] https://github.com/Kong/kong“Plugins for enforcing traffic controls, rate limiting, req/res transformations, logging, monitoring and including a plugin developer hub.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/ai-data-gov.md“Apply safety and DLP policies to prevent toxic content and remove personally identifiable information. This can be an important part of best practices and compliance fulfillment.”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/plugins/rate-limiting/“Rate Limiting - Plugin”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/ai-gateway/ai-providers.md“The core of AI Gateway is the ability to serve AI Models from various AI Model Providers via a provider-agnostic API.”

Schedule recurring jobs or workflowsweight 2

n/a — not applicable to this product: excluded from numerator and denominator

no evidence cited — the verdict rests on absence of evidence, re-checked on refresh

Version, review, and roll back my automationsweight 1

1 (weight) × 4 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 2.4 of 10 max

  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK is a command line tool that facilitates API Lifecycle Automation (APIOps) by offering a comprehensive toolkit of commands designed to orchestrate and automate the entire pr”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“decK | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/kongctl/“kongctl | Kong Docs”
  • [claimed-docs] https://developer.konghq.com/deck/“Tools for managing Konnect and Kong Gateway”

Automation = 18.6 ÷ 60 × 100 = 31.0