> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ngrok.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How the ngrok Operator Uses LoadBalancer Services

> Learn how the ngrok Kubernetes Operator automatically exposes LoadBalancer services using TCP or TLS endpoints with reserved addresses.

## How the ngrok Operator uses LoadBalancer services

By default, services of type `LoadBalancer` are exposed using a TCP Endpoint.
A reserved address is automatically created for the service and the service's status will be updated with the reserved address.
Other projects like [external-dns](https://github.com/ngrok/ngrok-operator/blob/main/docs/examples/external-dns/README.md) can be used to create a CNAME record for the reserved address automatically.

See the [TCP Endpoint](/gateway/tcp/) and [TLS Endpoint](/gateway/tls/) pages for more information about how ngrok handles these kinds of endpoints.

For example, the following `LoadBalancer` service will be provided by a TCP Endpoint.

```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: mysite
spec:
  allocateLoadBalancerNodePorts: false # ngrok's tunneling technology does not require NodePorts to be allocated.
  loadBalancerClass: ngrok
  type: LoadBalancer
  selector:
    app: mysite
  ports:
    - name: traffic
      port: 9000
      protocol: TCP
      targetPort: 9000
```

If you would instead like a TLS Endpoint, the following example showcases how you can create one.
The `k8s.ngrok.com/domain` annotation is required to use TLS and will expose the service as a TLS endpoint.
Once the reserved domain is ready and the endpoint is created, the service's status will be updated with the ngrok address.

```yaml theme={null}
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: mysite
  annotations:
    k8s.ngrok.com/domain: mysite.mydomain.com # Required to use TLS
    external-dns.alpha.kubernetes.io/hostname: "mysite.mydomain.com"
spec:
  allocateLoadBalancerNodePorts: false # ngrok's tunneling technology does not require NodePorts to be allocated.
  loadBalancerClass: ngrok
  type: LoadBalancer
  selector:
    app: mysite
  ports:
    - name: traffic
      port: 9000
      protocol: TCP
      targetPort: 9000
```

While using Services offers simplicity, using the `CloudEndpoint` and `AgentEndpoint` resources directly instead of translating `LoadBalancer` services into them using the Operator offers more configuration options and flexibility for configuring TCP and TLS endpoints.