welcome

This book is designed for professionals with experience in enterprise application development but who may be new to Apache Kafka. The goal is to help you grasp the fundamental concepts of Kafka, understand how it works, and see how integrating Kafka can influence other projects.

I have over 20 years of experience as a software engineer and solution architect, with the past decade primarily focused on Kafka technology. During the pandemic, I began teaching Kafka—initially online and then in person. My courses often attract people with diverse technical backgrounds, so I’ve adapted my teaching approach to explain Kafka in a way that’s accessible to those without programming or operational experience. Instead of focusing on specific implementation details, I emphasize how the technology works. This approach is what I aim to bring to this book.

We’ll start by discussing the fundamental concepts of Kafka. Once you have a solid understanding of how Kafka operates, we’ll delve into real-world use cases, data contract management, and how to gather requirements for your projects. Throughout the book, we’ll explore the pros and cons, advantages and risks, as well as patterns and anti-patterns associated with Kafka.