Chapter 3. Data serialization—working with text and beyond

MapReduce offers straightforward, well-documented support for working with simple data formats such as log files. But MapReduce has evolved beyond log files to more sophisticated data-serialization formats—such as text, XML, and JSON—to the point where its documentation and built-in support runs dry. The goal of this chapter is to document how you can work with common data-serialization formats, as well as to examine more structured serialization formats and compare their fitness for use with MapReduce.

3.1. Understanding inputs and outputs in MapReduce

3.2. Processing common serialization formats

3.3. Big data serialization formats

3.4. Columnar storage

3.5. Custom file formats

3.6. Chapter summary