// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// overview/assembly-overview-components.adoc
// assembly-kafka-bridge-overview.adoc

[id='con-overview-components-kafka-bridge-clients_{context}']

= Supported clients for the Kafka Bridge

You can use the Kafka Bridge to integrate both _internal_ and _external_ HTTP client applications with your Kafka cluster.

Internal clients:: Internal clients are container-based HTTP clients running in _the same_ Kubernetes cluster as the Kafka Bridge itself.
Internal clients can access the Kafka Bridge on the host and port defined in the `KafkaBridge` custom resource.

External clients:: External clients are HTTP clients running _outside_ the Kubernetes cluster in which the Kafka Bridge is deployed and running.
External clients can access the Kafka Bridge through an OpenShift Route, a loadbalancer service, or using an Ingress.

.HTTP internal and external client integration

image:kafka-bridge.png[Internal and external HTTP producers and consumers exchange data with the Kafka brokers through the Kafka Bridge]
