---
layout: docs
page_title: TCP Route Configuration Reference
description: Learn how to configure a TCP Route that is bound to an API gateway on VMs.
---

# TCP route configuration Reference

This topic provides reference information for the gateway TCP routes configuration
entry. Refer to [Route Resource Configuration](/consul/docs/api-gateway/configuration/routes) for information
about configuring API gateways in Kubernetes environments.

## Configuration model

The following list outlines field hierarchy, language-specific data types, and
requirements in an `tcp-route` configuration entry. Click on a property name to
view additional details, including default values.

- [`Kind`](#kind): string | must be `"tcp-route"`
- [`Name`](#name): string | no default
- [`Namespace`](#namespace): string | no default <EnterpriseAlert inline />
- [`Partition`](#partition): string | no default <EnterpriseAlert inline />
- [`Meta`](#meta): map | no default
- [`Services`](#services): list | no default
  - [`Name`](#services-name): string | no default
  - [`Namespace`](#services-namespace): string | no default <EnterpriseAlert inline />
  - [`Partition`](#services-partition): string | no default <EnterpriseAlert inline />
- [`Parents`](#parents): list | no default
  - [`Kind`](#parents-kind): string | must be `"api-gateway"`
  - [`Name`](#parents-name): string | no default
  - [`Namespace`](#parents-namespace): string | no default <EnterpriseAlert inline />
  - [`Partition`](#parents-partition): string | no default <EnterpriseAlert inline />
  - [`SectionName`](#parents-sectionname): string | no default

## Complete configuration

When every field is defined, a `tcp-route` configuration entry has the following form:

<CodeTabs>

```HCL
Kind = "tcp-route"
Name = "<name of the route>"
Namespace = "<enterprise: namespace of the route>"
Partition = "<enterprise: partition of the route>"

Meta = {
  "<any key>" = "<any value>"
}

Services = [
  {
    Name = "<name of service>"
    Namespace = "<enterprise: namespace of the service>"
    Partition = "<enterprise: partition of the service>"
  }
]


Parents = [
  {
    Kind = "api-gateway"
    Name = "<name of the api-gateway to bind to>"
    Namespace = "<enterprise: namespace of the parent>"
    Partition = "<enterprise: partition of the parent>"
    SectionName = "<listener on the api-gateway to bind to>"
  }
]
```

```JSON
{
  "Kind": "tcp-route",
  "Name": "<name of the route>",
  "Namespace": "<enterprise: namespace of the route>",
  "Partition": "<enterprise: partition of the route>",
  "Meta": {
    "<any key>": "<any value>"
  },
  "Services": [
    {
      "Name": "<name of service>"
      "Namespace": "<enterprise: namespace of the service>",
      "Partition": "<enterprise: partition of the service>",
    }
  ],
  "Parents": [
    {
      "Kind": "api-gateway",
      "Name": "<name of the api-gateway to bind to>",
      "Namespace": "<enterprise: namespace of the parent>",
      "Partition": "<enterprise: partition of the parent>",
      "SectionName": "<listener on the api-gateway to bind to>"
    }
  ]
}
```

</CodeTabs>

## Specification

This section provides details about the fields you can configure in the
`tcp-route` configuration entry.

### `Kind`

Specifies the type of configuration entry to implement. This must be set to
`"tcp-route"`.

#### Values

- Default: none
- This field is required.
- Data type: string value that must be set to`tcp-route`.

### `Name`

Specifies a name for the configuration entry. The name is metadata that you can
use to reference the configuration entry when performing Consul operations,
such as applying a configuration entry to a specific cluster.

#### Values

- Default: Defaults to the name of the node after writing the entry to the Consul server.
- This field is required.
- Data type: string

### `Namespace` <EnterpriseAlert inline />

Specifies the Enterprise [namespace](/consul/docs/enterprise/namespaces) to apply to the configuration entry.

#### Values

- Default: `"default"` in Enterprise
- Data type: string

### `Partition` <EnterpriseAlert inline />

Specifies the Enterprise [admin partition](/consul/docs/enterprise/admin-partitions) to apply to the configuration entry.

#### Values

- Default: `"default"` in Enterprise
- Data type: string

### `Meta`

Specifies an arbitrary set of key-value pairs to associate with the gateway.

#### Values

- Default: none
- Data type: map containing one or more keys and string values.

### `Services`

Specifies a TCP-based service the API gateway routes incoming requests
to. You can only specify one service.

#### Values

- Default: none
- The data type is a list of maps. Each member of the list contains the following fields:
  - [`Name`](#services-name)
  - [`Namespace`](#services-namespace) <EnterpriseAlert inline />
  - [`Partition`](#services-partition) <EnterpriseAlert inline />

### `Services.Name`

Specifies the list of TCP-based services to route to. You can specify a maximum of one service.

#### Values

- Default: none
- Data type: string

### `Services.Namespace` <EnterpriseAlert inline />

Specifies the Enterprise [namespace](/consul/docs/enterprise/namespaces) where the service is located.

#### Values

- Default: `"default"` in Enterprise
- Data type: string

### `Services.Partition` <EnterpriseAlert inline />

Specifies the Enterprise [admin partition](/consul/docs/enterprise/admin-partitions) where the service is located.

#### Values

- Default: `"default"` in Enterprise
- Data type: string

### `Parents`

Specifies the list of gateways that the route is bound to.

#### Values

- Default: none
- Data type: List of map. Each member of the list contains the following fields:
  - [`Kind`](#parents-kind)
  - [`Name`](#parents-name)
  - [`Namespace`](#parents-namespace) <EnterpriseAlert inline />
  - [`Partition`](#parents-partition) <EnterpriseAlert inline />
  - [`SectionName`](#parents-sectionname)

### `Parents.Kind`

Specifies the type of resource to bind to. This field is required and must be
set to `"api-gateway"`

#### Values

- Default: none
- This field is required.
- Data type: string

### `Parents.Name`

Specifies the name of the API gateway to bind to.

#### Values

- Default: none
- This field is required.
- Data type: string

### `Parents.Namespace` <EnterpriseAlert inline />

Specifies the Enterprise [namespace](/consul/docs/enterprise/namespaces) where the parent is located.

#### Values

- Default: `"default"` in Enterprise
- Data type: string

### `Parents.Partition` <EnterpriseAlert inline />

Specifies the Enterprise [admin partition](/consul/docs/enterprise/admin-partitions) where the parent is located.

#### Values

- Default: `"default"` in Enterprise
- Data type: string

### `Parents.SectionName`

Specifies the name of the listener defined in the [`api-gateway` configuration](/consul/docs/connect/gateways/api-gateway/configuration/api-gateway) that the route binds to. If the field is configured to an empty string, the route binds to all listeners on the parent gateway.

#### Values

- Default: `""`
- Data type: string