AWS's Layer 7 load balancer that routes traffic based on application content like URL paths, host headers, and HTTP methods. Like an intelligent dispatcher who reads each request and sends it to the best specialist.
An e-commerce site uses Application Load Balancer to route /products to product servers, /checkout to payment servers, and /api to backend APIs, all based on URL paths.
All are Layer 7 (HTTP/HTTPS) load balancers that can route traffic using application-aware rules (hostnames, paths, headers) and support TLS termination. Feature depth differs (e.g., AWS integrates tightly with ECS/EKS and target groups; Azure emphasizes WAF and gateway features; GCP uses global anycast HTTP(S) load balancing; OCI provides L7 routing via policies on its Load Balancer).