History of Gartner Reports for Web Application Firewall (WAF) and Web Application and API Protection (WAAP)
Gartner’s evaluation of the WAF and WAAP markets has evolved in step with shifts in application architectures, threat landscapes, and enterprise security needs. This progression is reflected in the transition of Gartner's published research from Magic Quadrants to Market Guides, alongside changing definitions of what constitutes a WAF or WAAP solution.
WAF Magic Quadrant (2014–2020)
Gartner published its Magic Quadrant for Web Application Firewalls annually from 2014 through 2020. These reports focused on vendors offering traditional WAF capabilities, primarily protecting web applications from common layer 7 attacks using rule-based detection mechanisms.
The WAF Magic Quadrants evaluated vendors on their ability to deliver standalone appliances (hardware or virtual) or cloud-managed WAFs, and emphasized protection against threats like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and protocol violations. Early on, solutions were often deployed at the network perimeter, and the main points of differentiation were detection accuracy, ease of management, and performance.
However, by the late 2010s, application architectures had started to shift toward microservices, APIs, and multi-cloud deployments. The WAF Magic Quadrant increasingly referenced the growing importance of API protection and bot mitigation.
WAAP Magic Quadrant (2021–2022)
In 2021, Gartner retired the WAF Magic Quadrant and replaced it with the Magic Quadrant for Web Application and API Protection (WAAP). This reflected a broader market definition, acknowledging that modern applications required more than just signature-based protections.
The 2021 and 2022 WAAP Magic Quadrants evaluated vendors offering cloud-delivered, integrated platforms that included:
- Web application firewall (WAF)
- API protection
- Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) mitigation
- Bot management
Transition to Market Guides (2023–Present)
After 2022, Gartner transitioned from Magic Quadrants to Market Guides for WAAP. Starting in 2023, it began publishing the Market Guide for Cloud Web Application and API Protection, which continues as of 2025.
This shift reflects Gartner's assessment that the WAAP market had matured to the point where Magic Quadrant criteria were no longer the best fit, due to:
- Rapid innovation and vendor convergence in capabilities
- Significant consolidation (through acquisitions and platform expansion)
- Difficulty in applying uniform evaluation criteria across diverse delivery models
Market Guides focus more on market trends, representative vendors, and functional requirements rather than attempting to rank or position vendors. They provide strategic guidance on evaluating WAAP solutions in the context of cloud transformation, API-first development, and advanced threat scenarios.
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The web application firewall (WAF) market has gradually shifted to encompass broader protection capabilities, evolving into the web application and API protection (WAAP) category. Traditional WAFs focused primarily on detecting and blocking common web attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting. However, the growing complexity of web environments and the rise of APIs have pushed vendors to expand their offerings.
WAAP solutions now include features like API security, bot management, DDoS protection, and threat intelligence integration. This evolution reflects the need for more holistic defense mechanisms as application architectures move to the cloud and adopt microservices.
Key drivers behind this shift include increased API usage, more sophisticated threats, and the limitations of rule-based WAFs in dynamic environments. Modern WAAPs use machine learning and behavioral analytics to adapt to new attack patterns, making them more effective in real-time threat detection and mitigation.
Gartner defines cloud WAAP as a category of security solutions that protect both web applications and APIs against a range of attacks, regardless of where those assets are hosted. These solutions are typically delivered as a unified, cloud-based service that consolidates multiple security capabilities into a single platform.
To qualify as a cloud WAAP, a solution must include four core components:
- A web application firewall (WAF)
- DDoS mitigation
- API threat protection
- Bot management
These capabilities work together to detect and block runtime threats, including automated attacks, client-side exploits, and zero-day vulnerabilities.
WAAP platforms incorporate features like real-time threat detection, behavioral analysis, and schema validation to defend against increasingly complex API and application-layer threats. Some also offer basic API gateway functions, such as access control and posture management, to support API governance.
Cloud WAAP solutions often include centralized tools for visibility, incident response, and compliance. Features such as RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), logging, and integration with other security platforms help organizations investigate incidents and manage security consistently across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
In addition to the mandatory components like WAF, DDoS mitigation, bot management, and API protection, leading WAAP solutions often include a range of features. These capabilities improve detection accuracy, support compliance, secure client-side activity, and integrate with broader security ecosystems.
Commonly featured capabilities include:
- Threat intelligence: Aggregates and analyzes threat data from internal and external sources to improve detection of known and emerging attacks.
- Client-side protection: Defends against browser-based attacks (e.g., Magecart, XSS) by enforcing content security policies (CSPs), validating input, and monitoring third-party scripts.
- DNS security: Secures DNS infrastructure through techniques like DNSSEC, DNS over HTTPS (DoH), and rate limiting to prevent spoofing and DoS attacks.
- Content delivery network (CDN) integration: Improves performance and resilience by caching static content at geographically distributed PoPs, reducing origin server load.
- Rate limiting: Controls traffic volumes by setting request thresholds, protecting against abuse such as brute-force login attempts or API flooding.
- Mobile SDK: Enables secure API integration within mobile apps, offering features like encrypted communications and user authentication.
- Compliance support: Provides logging, RBAC, and security controls to help organizations meet regulatory and industry requirements. Many vendors also maintain certifications like ISO/IEC 27001.
- Data security and control: Offers data localization, secure log handling, and data masking to protect sensitive information and meet privacy requirements.
- AI and machine learning: Supports behavioral analysis, threat detection, and automation. Some vendors also offer GenAI-based tools for configuration and security operations.
- Security tool integrations: Supports RBAC and connects with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response), CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform), ASPM (Application Security Posture Management), and API gateways to improve visibility, incident response, and risk prioritization across environments.
The cloud WAAP market is evolving rapidly, driven by increased API usage, cloud-native application architectures, and rising regulatory demands. Gartner observed a temporary stagnation in end-user interest from mid-2022 through mid-2023, but demand picked up significantly in late 2024. This resurgence is linked to innovations in AI-driven threat detection, enhanced API protection capabilities, and the need for compliance with emerging regulations.
Major trends shaping the market include:
- The consolidation of fragmented security functions into unified WAAP platforms: Vendors are increasingly combining WAF, API security, bot mitigation, and DDoS protection into cloud-native solutions. This shift has attracted larger security providers, many of whom are acquiring niche WAAP or API security vendors to expand their cloud portfolios. Meanwhile, traditional on-premises WAF vendors face challenges due to stagnating R&D and the technical limitations of appliance-based delivery models in modern cloud environments.
- Advantages over appliance-based solutions: Cloud-native WAAP platforms offer easier deployment, autoscaling, global availability, and centralized policy management. These platforms are also better suited to integrate with CI/CD pipelines and other DevSecOps tools. Additionally, integration with cloud-native application protection platforms (CNAPPs) helps enrich threat detection and reduce false positives.
- API protection: Modern applications rely heavily on APIs, exposing a larger attack surface. Threat actors increasingly target public-facing APIs for data exfiltration and business logic exploitation. As a result, API discovery, behavioral analysis, and schema validation are now core requirements. Gartner expects that by 2027, most API protection capabilities will be absorbed into cloud WAAP offerings, making them the central platform for securing web and API traffic.
However, for some use cases, especially in API-first development environments, standalone API protection tools may still be needed to supplement cloud WAAPs. Organizations should evaluate the depth of API protection in their WAAP solutions and consider best-of-breed tools where gaps exist.
When selecting a WAAP solution, Gartner advises aligning the choice with your organization's overall security goals, risk profile, and infrastructure architecture. The decision should be driven by a clear understanding of the specific protection needs of each application, including requirements for visibility, automation, and integration with broader security operations.
1. Security Requirements
Start by defining core security requirements and measurable evaluation criteria for each critical application. These should cover both runtime protections and features such as API discovery, anomaly detection, and policy automation. Organizations should test how well a vendor's platform supports automatic threat identification and adapts policies based on behavioral insights or known vulnerabilities.
Learn more in our detailed guide to WAF security
2. Granular Visibility
Solutions that offer deeper inspection, such as container-based WAAPs using eBPF (extended Berkeley Packet Filter) for kernel- and network-level monitoring, can provide valuable insight into application activity and potential threats. Tools that integrate with existing incident response workflows and security platforms improve operational efficiency and accelerate threat mitigation.
3. GenAI and Machine Learning Capabilities
Effective WAAP platforms should use these technologies to correlate events, reduce false positives, and prioritize responses based on risk context. AI-generated policy recommendations and natural language explanations of security events can further support security teams in managing complex environments.
4. Suitability for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud
For organizations running hybrid or multi-cloud environments, it’s important to choose WAAP platforms that support cross-cloud failover, load balancing, and on-premises application strategies. DevSecOps teams should also prioritize solutions that integrate directly into CI/CD pipelines, enabling security to be embedded throughout the application development lifecycle.
5. Point Solutions
While WAAP platforms are generally preferred, point solutions may be more suitable for specialized needs. For example, in API-first environments, a standalone API protection product might offer deeper capabilities than what’s included in a general-purpose WAAP. In such cases, Gartner recommends evaluating both types of tools based on their ability to address the organization's most critical use cases.
In Gartner Peer Insights’ Voice of the Customer for Cloud Web Application and API Protection (WAAP), 2024, Radware was recognized as a Strong Performer, reflecting positive customer feedback in real production environments. Gartner’s official research page for this Peer Insights report is available here. For Radware-specific Peer Insights highlights, including the published metric that 99% of customers were “willing to recommend” Radware, see Radware’s awards coverage.
The Peer Insights recognition applies to Radware’s Cloud WAAP capabilities, led by Cloud WAF Service and including key WAAP protections such as API security and bot mitigation. Based on the customer experience themes from this 2024 recognition, the differentiators most relevant to WAAP buyers include:
- Fast time-to-protection and responsive support, including strong assistance during security incidents
- Ease of administration and manageability, reducing operational overhead for security teams
- WAAP breadth aligned to real attack conditions, spanning application-layer protection, automated threat mitigation, and availability defense
For organizations evaluating WAAP solutions, these outcomes offer a practical signal of whether a solution can deliver effective protection at scale without introducing excessive operational complexity.