name: istio-traffic-management description: "Istio Traffic Management workflow skill. Use this skill when the user needs Comprehensive guide to Istio traffic management for production service mesh deployments and the operator should preserve the upstream workflow, copied support files, and provenance before merging or handing off." version: "0.0.1" category: tools tags: ["istio-traffic-management", "comprehensive", "guide", "istio", "traffic", "management", "for", "production"] complexity: intermediate risk: caution tools: ["codex-cli", "claude-code", "cursor", "gemini-cli", "opencode"] source: community author: "sickn33" date_added: "2026-04-15" date_updated: "2026-04-25"

Istio Traffic Management

Overview

This public intake copy packages plugins/antigravity-awesome-skills-claude/skills/istio-traffic-management from https://github.com/sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills into the native Omni Skills editorial shape without hiding its origin.

Use it when the operator needs the upstream workflow, support files, and repository context to stay intact while the public validator and private enhancer continue their normal downstream flow.

This intake keeps the copied upstream files intact and uses the external_source block in metadata.json plus ORIGIN.md as the provenance anchor for review.

Istio Traffic Management Comprehensive guide to Istio traffic management for production service mesh deployments.

Imported source sections that did not map cleanly to the public headings are still preserved below or in the support files. Notable imported sections: Core Concepts, Templates, Load Balancing Strategies, Limitations.

When to Use This Skill

Use this section as the trigger filter. It should make the activation boundary explicit before the operator loads files, runs commands, or opens a pull request.

• The task is unrelated to istio traffic management
• You need a different domain or tool outside this scope
• Configuring service-to-service routing
• Implementing canary or blue-green deployments
• Setting up circuit breakers and retries
• Load balancing configuration

Operating Table

Workflow

This workflow is intentionally editorial and operational at the same time. It keeps the imported source useful to the operator while still satisfying the public intake standards that feed the downstream enhancer flow.

1. Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
2. Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
3. Provide actionable steps and verification.
4. If detailed examples are required, open resources/implementation-playbook.md.
5. Confirm the user goal, the scope of the imported workflow, and whether this skill is still the right router for the task.
6. Read the overview and provenance files before loading any copied upstream support files.
7. Load only the references, examples, prompts, or scripts that materially change the outcome for the current request.

Imported Workflow Notes

Imported: Instructions

• Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
• Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
• Provide actionable steps and verification.
• If detailed examples are required, open resources/implementation-playbook.md.

Imported: Core Concepts

1. Traffic Management Resources

2. Traffic Flow

Client → Gateway → VirtualService → DestinationRule → Service
                   (routing)        (policies)        (pods)

Examples

Example 1: Ask for the upstream workflow directly

Use @istio-traffic-management to handle <task>. Start from the copied upstream workflow, load only the files that change the outcome, and keep provenance visible in the answer.

Explanation: This is the safest starting point when the operator needs the imported workflow, but not the entire repository.

Example 2: Ask for a provenance-grounded review

Review @istio-traffic-management against metadata.json and ORIGIN.md, then explain which copied upstream files you would load first and why.

Explanation: Use this before review or troubleshooting when you need a precise, auditable explanation of origin and file selection.

Example 3: Narrow the copied support files before execution

Use @istio-traffic-management for <task>. Load only the copied references, examples, or scripts that change the outcome, and name the files explicitly before proceeding.

Explanation: This keeps the skill aligned with progressive disclosure instead of loading the whole copied package by default.

Example 4: Build a reviewer packet

Review @istio-traffic-management using the copied upstream files plus provenance, then summarize any gaps before merge.

Explanation: This is useful when the PR is waiting for human review and you want a repeatable audit packet.

Imported Usage Notes

Imported: Debugging Commands

# Check VirtualService configuration
istioctl analyze

# View effective routes
istioctl proxy-config routes deploy/my-app -o json

# Check endpoint discovery
istioctl proxy-config endpoints deploy/my-app

# Debug traffic
istioctl proxy-config log deploy/my-app --level debug

Best Practices

Treat the generated public skill as a reviewable packaging layer around the upstream repository. The goal is to keep provenance explicit and load only the copied source material that materially improves execution.

• Start simple - Add complexity incrementally
• Use subsets - Version your services clearly
• Set timeouts - Always configure reasonable timeouts
• Enable retries - But with backoff and limits
• Monitor - Use Kiali and Jaeger for visibility
• Don't over-retry - Can cause cascading failures
• Don't ignore outlier detection - Enable circuit breakers

Imported Operating Notes

Imported: Best Practices

Do's

• Start simple - Add complexity incrementally
• Use subsets - Version your services clearly
• Set timeouts - Always configure reasonable timeouts
• Enable retries - But with backoff and limits
• Monitor - Use Kiali and Jaeger for visibility

Don'ts

• Don't over-retry - Can cause cascading failures
• Don't ignore outlier detection - Enable circuit breakers
• Don't mirror to production - Mirror to test environments
• Don't skip canary - Test with small traffic percentage first

Troubleshooting

Problem: The operator skipped the imported context and answered too generically

Symptoms: The result ignores the upstream workflow in plugins/antigravity-awesome-skills-claude/skills/istio-traffic-management, fails to mention provenance, or does not use any copied source files at all. Solution: Re-open metadata.json, ORIGIN.md, and the most relevant copied upstream files. Check the external_source block first, then restate the provenance before continuing.

Problem: The imported workflow feels incomplete during review

Symptoms: Reviewers can see the generated SKILL.md, but they cannot quickly tell which references, examples, or scripts matter for the current task. Solution: Point at the exact copied references, examples, scripts, or assets that justify the path you took. If the gap is still real, record it in the PR instead of hiding it.

Problem: The task drifted into a different specialization

Symptoms: The imported skill starts in the right place, but the work turns into debugging, architecture, design, security, or release orchestration that a native skill handles better. Solution: Use the related skills section to hand off deliberately. Keep the imported provenance visible so the next skill inherits the right context instead of starting blind.

Related Skills

• @00-andruia-consultant - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.
• @00-andruia-consultant-v2 - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.
• @10-andruia-skill-smith - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.
• @10-andruia-skill-smith-v2 - Use when the work is better handled by that native specialization after this imported skill establishes context.

Additional Resources

Use this support matrix and the linked files below as the operator packet for this imported skill. They should reflect real copied source material, not generic scaffolding.

Imported Reference Notes

Imported: Resources

• Istio Traffic Management
• Virtual Service Reference
• Destination Rule Reference

Imported: Templates

Template 1: Basic Routing

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
  name: reviews-route
  namespace: bookinfo
spec:
  hosts:
    - reviews
  http:
    - match:
        - headers:
            end-user:
              exact: jason
      route:
        - destination:
            host: reviews
            subset: v2
    - route:
        - destination:
            host: reviews
            subset: v1
---
apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: DestinationRule
metadata:
  name: reviews-destination
  namespace: bookinfo
spec:
  host: reviews
  subsets:
    - name: v1
      labels:
        version: v1
    - name: v2
      labels:
        version: v2
    - name: v3
      labels:
        version: v3

Template 2: Canary Deployment

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
  name: my-service-canary
spec:
  hosts:
    - my-service
  http:
    - route:
        - destination:
            host: my-service
            subset: stable
          weight: 90
        - destination:
            host: my-service
            subset: canary
          weight: 10
---
apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: DestinationRule
metadata:
  name: my-service-dr
spec:
  host: my-service
  trafficPolicy:
    connectionPool:
      tcp:
        maxConnections: 100
      http:
        h2UpgradePolicy: UPGRADE
        http1MaxPendingRequests: 100
        http2MaxRequests: 1000
  subsets:
    - name: stable
      labels:
        version: stable
    - name: canary
      labels:
        version: canary

Template 3: Circuit Breaker

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: DestinationRule
metadata:
  name: circuit-breaker
spec:
  host: my-service
  trafficPolicy:
    connectionPool:
      tcp:
        maxConnections: 100
      http:
        http1MaxPendingRequests: 100
        http2MaxRequests: 1000
        maxRequestsPerConnection: 10
        maxRetries: 3
    outlierDetection:
      consecutive5xxErrors: 5
      interval: 30s
      baseEjectionTime: 30s
      maxEjectionPercent: 50
      minHealthPercent: 30

Template 4: Retry and Timeout

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
  name: ratings-retry
spec:
  hosts:
    - ratings
  http:
    - route:
        - destination:
            host: ratings
      timeout: 10s
      retries:
        attempts: 3
        perTryTimeout: 3s
        retryOn: connect-failure,refused-stream,unavailable,cancelled,retriable-4xx,503
        retryRemoteLocalities: true

Template 5: Traffic Mirroring

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
  name: mirror-traffic
spec:
  hosts:
    - my-service
  http:
    - route:
        - destination:
            host: my-service
            subset: v1
      mirror:
        host: my-service
        subset: v2
      mirrorPercentage:
        value: 100.0

Template 6: Fault Injection

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
  name: fault-injection
spec:
  hosts:
    - ratings
  http:
    - fault:
        delay:
          percentage:
            value: 10
          fixedDelay: 5s
        abort:
          percentage:
            value: 5
          httpStatus: 503
      route:
        - destination:
            host: ratings

Template 7: Ingress Gateway

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: Gateway
metadata:
  name: my-gateway
spec:
  selector:
    istio: ingressgateway
  servers:
    - port:
        number: 443
        name: https
        protocol: HTTPS
      tls:
        mode: SIMPLE
        credentialName: my-tls-secret
      hosts:
        - "*.example.com"
---
apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: VirtualService
metadata:
  name: my-vs
spec:
  hosts:
    - "api.example.com"
  gateways:
    - my-gateway
  http:
    - match:
        - uri:
            prefix: /api/v1
      route:
        - destination:
            host: api-service
            port:
              number: 8080

Imported: Load Balancing Strategies

apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: DestinationRule
metadata:
  name: load-balancing
spec:
  host: my-service
  trafficPolicy:
    loadBalancer:
      simple: ROUND_ROBIN  # or LEAST_CONN, RANDOM, PASSTHROUGH
---
# Consistent hashing for sticky sessions
apiVersion: networking.istio.io/v1beta1
kind: DestinationRule
metadata:
  name: sticky-sessions
spec:
  host: my-service
  trafficPolicy:
    loadBalancer:
      consistentHash:
        httpHeaderName: x-user-id
        # or: httpCookie, useSourceIp, httpQueryParameterName

Imported: Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.