foreword
Even skilled software architects and development teams face challenges, such as scaling, updating data, and maintaining system stability. Kafka can help solve these complex problems, but it can feel like a powerful tool without enough instructions, so empathy and practical advice are essential. This is where Katya Gorshkova’s book Kafka for Architects stands out.
With twenty years of experience as a software engineer and architect, and a gift for teaching even during tough times, Katya makes Kafka easy to understand and learn. She focuses on what architects care about most: big ideas, hard choices, and useful advice. The book takes you from the basics of EDA in chapter 1 through to real-world enterprise challenges, helping you feel confident using Kafka.
Katya is open about what Kafka is really like, talking about both its strengths and its delays and challenges, so readers feel understood. Chapters on data and practical patterns help teams avoid expensive mistakes. Other chapters give clear advice on governance and scaling, and her look at AI-powered streams helps readers feel confident about Kafka’s future.