Kafka Connect Fundamentals from Pluralsight

This course is a technical introduction to Kafka Connect and how to use it to quickly transfer data in and out of the Apache Kafka ecosystem, to and from common data systems like databases, key-value stores, search indexes, and file systems.

You may be wondering why the word "Connect" has suddenly sprung up next to "Kafka". Isn’t Kafka a Distributed Streaming Platform? Well, Kafka is more than that. Apache Kafka is an entire ecosystem and Kafka Connect is a part of it. In this course, Kafka Connect Fundamentals, you will gain the ability to create your own real-time ETL pipelines from and to Apache Kafka. First, you will learn what the ETL model is and how to set up your own ETL pipeline using Kafka Connect. Next, you will discover the inner details of Kafka Connect by exploring its architecture. Finally, you will explore how to successfully manage your Kafka Connect installation in a production environment. When you are finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of Kafka Connect needed to set up, build, and maintain your own Kafka Connect installation.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Building ETL Pipelines with Apache Kafka

Exploring Kafka Connect Architecture

Building Your Own Connector

Data Processing Using Transforms and Converters

Using Kafka Connect in Production

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores ETL pipelines with Kafka Connect, which is the industry standard for real-time data integration

Taught by Bogdan Sucaciu, who is recognized for their work in Apache Kafka

Covers the full spectrum of Kafka Connect, from architecture to production management

Offers hands-on activities like building connectors and using transforms and converters

Covers the theoretical foundations of ETL pipelines and Kafka Connect's architecture

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Kafka Connect Fundamentals with these activities:

Review key terms used in Apache Kafka Connect

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Reviewing key terms will help establish a baseline understanding of concepts discussed in the course.

Browse courses on Kafka Connect

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Read through the Kafka Connect documentation focusing on key concepts and definitions.
Create a glossary of terms and their definitions.

Compile a list of resources on Kafka Connect

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Creating a compilation of resources will help you organize and expand your knowledge.

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Search for resources on Kafka Connect, including articles, tutorials, and videos.
Organize the resources by topic or category.
Write a brief description of each resource.

Join a study group and discuss the course material

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Engaging in group discussions can provide different perspectives and deepen understanding of the course topics.

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Find or start a study group with other students taking the course.
Choose a topic from the course material to discuss.
Prepare for the discussion by reviewing the material and gathering any relevant resources.
Participate in the discussion and share your insights.

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Build a simple ETL pipeline using Kafka Connect

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Building a simple ETL pipeline will provide hands-on experience and reinforce the concepts covered in the course.

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Choose a data source and a destination for your pipeline.
Find and install the appropriate Kafka Connect connectors.
Configure the connectors and start the pipeline.
Monitor the pipeline and verify that data is flowing as expected.

Solve practice problems on Kafka Connect

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Solving practice problems will help reinforce your understanding of the concepts and improve your problem-solving skills.

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Find practice problems on Kafka Connect online or in textbooks.
Solve the problems and check your answers.
Review and analyze your mistakes to identify areas for improvement.

Create a presentation on the use of Kafka Connect in a real-world scenario

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Creating a presentation will challenge you to synthesize and present the concepts you've learned.

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Choose a real-world scenario where Kafka Connect can be used to solve a problem.
Design the architecture of the Kafka Connect pipeline.
Develop a presentation that explains the problem, the solution, and the benefits of using Kafka Connect.
Present your findings to an audience.

Contribute to the Kafka Connect project on GitHub

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Contributing to open source projects provides practical experience and deepens technical understanding.

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Find an issue or feature request on the Kafka Connect GitHub repository.
Read the issue or feature request and understand the problem or enhancement.
Fork the repository and create a branch for your changes.
Implement the fix or enhancement and add tests.
Submit a pull request and participate in the review process.

Develop a data pipeline using Apache Kafka and Kafka Connect

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Building a data pipeline will provide you with a practical application of the concepts learned in the course.

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Define the requirements for your data pipeline, including the data sources, data destinations, and transformations required.
Design the architecture of the pipeline, including the Kafka topics, connectors, and transformations.
Implement the pipeline using Kafka and Kafka Connect.
Deploy and monitor the pipeline.

Career center

Learners who complete Kafka Connect Fundamentals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

ETL Developer

ETL Developers are responsible for building and maintaining ETL pipelines. This course offers a detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka, which would be highly valuable to someone in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for ETL Developer

Data Architect

Data Architects design and build data architectures for organizations. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of the ETL model and a detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Architect

Data Platform Engineer

Data Platform Engineers design and build data platforms for organizations. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of the ETL model and a detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Platform Engineer

Data Governance Specialist

Data Governance Specialists are responsible for managing and protecting data. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of Kafka Connect's architecture and how to use it in production.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Governance Specialist

Big Data Engineer

Big Data Engineers design and build systems for managing and processing large amounts of data. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of the ETL model and a detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka.

See salaries and explore the career path for Big Data Engineer

Data Integration Specialist

Data Integration Specialists are responsible for integrating data from different sources into a single, unified view. This course may be helpful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of the ETL model and a detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Integration Specialist

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data in various forms, both structured and unstructured. This typically involves cleaning, analyzing, and interpreting large amounts of data. This course can help Data Scientists who need to build and maintain ETL pipelines, and who need to understand Kafka Connect's architecture.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Cloud Architect

Cloud Architects design and build cloud computing solutions for organizations. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of Kafka Connect's architecture and how to use it in production.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Data Warehouse Engineer

Data Warehouse Engineers design and build data warehouses for organizations. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of the ETL model and a detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Warehouse Engineer

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers are responsible for bridging the gap between development and operations teams. This course may be useful to someone in this role, as it offers an overview of Kafka Connect's architecture and how to use it in production.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Data Analyst

Data Analysts are responsible for collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data to help businesses make better decisions. They also play a role in communicating insights to stakeholders. The course's focus on data processing using transforms and converters makes it relevant to Data Analysts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Data Engineer

A Data Engineer builds and maintains the infrastructure needed to manage and process data. Those interested in this job may be attracted to the course's overview of the ETL model, and its detailed explanation of how to set up ETL pipelines using Apache Kafka. Building connectors is also important for Data Engineers, which is why this course's material on building your own connector may be useful to this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases. The course's overview of Kafka Connect's architecture would be useful to someone in this role, as would its discussion of building your own connector.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, implement and test software systems. They are responsible for building and maintaining the software that we use every day.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer