Data in Motion - Confluent vs Kafka
Author: Riley Martin
Release Date: 06/10/2023
When looking to set Data in Motion, a quick Google would probably get the results of Confluent and Kafka, you may even have found this blog that way! However, if you don’t have a lot of experience with real-time data streaming, you may not know what they are – and which is best?
In our digital-first world, it rarely feels like there is a one-stop shop or singular solution to a problem; however in the current landscape Kafka is the clear leader in the data streaming world. It was the first solution to be created upon its open-source initial release in 2011 and is used in thousands of organisations around the world.
Confluent is not a competitor to Kafka, rather it is a product used to enhance Kafka. You can use Kafka without confluent if you want to do a lot of background work to maintain it, but Confluent enhances the experience to allow you to get on with getting the most out of your data rather than spending time and effort to get the streams up and running.
Normally in a Vs style article this is the part I would go into the differences between Confluent and Kafka, weighing up the pros and cons to both before coming to a conclusion that one was superior to the other. However, with Confluent and Kafka, the reality is, if you’re using one without the other it’s like only getting the chassis and engine without the rest of the car. It works but it will be a lot of effort to get it going. With both together, however, you can be up and streaming your data efficiently and effectively in barely anytime at all.
If you’re just starting out on your Kafka and Confluent journey, I recommend giving the book “Transform Your Data Pipelines, Transform Your Business: 3 Ways to Get Started” a read. It’s available here and is both a quick read, and informative. When you’re done there – we at Somerford Associates would love to chat with you about getting started with both Confluent and Kafka.
More Resources like this one:
Confluent Explained in 60 Seconds —
Leverage Apache Kafka® to Process Real-Time Data
Confluent with Somerford Powers Data in Motion for Real-Time Decision Making Whitepaper
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