envoyproxy/envoy

Native multi-file YAML config support like Nginx `include` directive

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#43,511 opened on Feb 16, 2026

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enhancementhelp wanted

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Description

Feature Request Summary

Add native support for splitting Envoy bootstrap configuration across multiple YAML files, similar to Nginx's include directive and /etc/nginx/conf.d/*.conf directory scanning.

Motivation

Unlike Nginx, which seamlessly loads multiple config files from a directory into a unified config tree, Envoy requires a single bootstrap YAML file. Current workarounds like !ignore YAML fragments with anchors/aliases work but have limitations:

  • Still requires a "main" bootstrap file
  • Manual anchor management across files
  • No automatic directory scanning
  • Full reload needed for fragment changes
  • Not as intuitive for teams familiar with Nginx/HAProxy

This is especially painful for complex deployments (Kubernetes sidecars, Docker Compose with multiple services) where configs grow large and need modularization.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Study Envoy's YAML config loading mechanism and implement directory scanning similar to Nginx's include directive.
Tech stack
cpp
Domain
infrastructuredevops
Issue type
Feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
Over 1 week
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
C++EnvoyYAML
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
30