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Apache Mahout VS Pandas

Compare Apache Mahout VS Pandas and see what are their differences

Apache Mahout logo Apache Mahout

Distributed Linear Algebra

Pandas logo Pandas

Pandas is an open source library providing high-performance, easy-to-use data structures and data analysis tools for the Python.
  • Apache Mahout Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • Pandas Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-12

Apache Mahout features and specs

  • Scalability
    Apache Mahout is designed to handle large data sets, leveraging Hadoop to process data in parallel across distributed computing clusters, which allows for scaling as data size increases.
  • Library of Algorithms
    Mahout offers a substantial collection of pre-built machine learning algorithms for clustering, classification, and collaborative filtering, making it easier to implement standard ML tasks without developing them from scratch.
  • Integration with Hadoop
    Seamless integration with the Hadoop ecosystem enables Mahout to efficiently process and analyze large-scale data directly within a Hadoop cluster using MapReduce.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project under the Apache Software Foundation, Mahout benefits from continuous improvements and community support, providing transparency and flexibility for users.
  • Focus on Math
    Mahout emphasizes mathematically sound algorithms, ensuring accuracy and robustness in machine learning models, backed by a foundation in linear algebra.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Mahout

  • Complexity
    Although powerful, Mahout can be complex and difficult to use for beginners, as it requires understanding of both Hadoop and the underlying machine learning algorithms.
  • Limited Deep Learning Capabilities
    Mahout is primarily focused on traditional machine learning techniques and lacks support for more modern deep learning frameworks, which may limit its applicability for certain advanced use cases.
  • Declining Popularity
    Although once well-regarded, Mahout has seen a decline in popularity with more users favoring newer tools such as Apache Spark's MLlib, which offer improved performance and a broader range of capabilities.
  • Setup Overhead
    Setting up and configuring a Hadoop environment to run Mahout can be a non-trivial task, requiring considerable effort and resources, particularly in smaller projects or organizations without existing Hadoop infrastructure.
  • API Inconsistency
    Over time, the API has undergone changes which can cause compatibility issues or require significant code refactoring when upgrading to newer versions of Mahout.

Pandas features and specs

  • Data Wrangling
    Pandas offers robust tools for manipulating, cleaning, and transforming data, making it easier to prepare data for analysis.
  • Flexible Data Structures
    Pandas provides two primary data structures: Series and DataFrame, which are flexible and offer powerful capabilities for handling various types of datasets.
  • Integration with Other Libraries
    Pandas integrates seamlessly with other Python libraries such as NumPy, Matplotlib, and SciPy, facilitating comprehensive data analysis workflows.
  • Performance with Data Size
    For data sizes that fit into memory, Pandas performs excellently with operations and computations being highly optimized.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Pandas provides a wide array of functionalities, including but not limited to group-by operations, merging and joining data sets, time-series functionality, and input/output tools.
  • Community and Documentation
    Pandas has a strong community and extensive documentation, offering a wealth of tutorials, examples, and support for new and experienced users alike.

Possible disadvantages of Pandas

  • Memory Consumption
    Pandas can become memory inefficient with very large datasets because it relies heavily on in-memory operations.
  • Single-threaded
    Many Pandas operations are single-threaded, which can lead to performance bottlenecks when handling very large datasets.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    For users who are new to data analysis or Pandas, there can be a steep learning curve due to its extensive capabilities and complex syntax at times.
  • Less Suitable for Real-time Analytics
    Pandas is not designed for real-time analytics and is better suited for batch processing due to its in-memory operations and single-threaded nature.
  • Error Handling
    Error messages in Pandas can sometimes be cryptic and hard to interpret, making debugging a challenge for users.

Apache Mahout videos

Apache Mahout Tutorial-1 | Apache Mahout Tutorial for Beginners-1 | Edureka

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Machine Learning with Mahout | Apache Mahout Tutorial | Edureka

Pandas videos

Ozzy Man Reviews: Pandas

More videos:

  • Review - Ozzy Man Reviews: PANDAS Part 2
  • Review - Trash Pandas Review with Sam Healey

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Mahout and Pandas)
Data Dashboard
18 18%
82% 82
Data Science And Machine Learning
Data Science Tools
2 2%
98% 98
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache Mahout and Pandas

Apache Mahout Reviews

We have no reviews of Apache Mahout yet.
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Pandas Reviews

25 Python Frameworks to Master
Pandas is a powerful and flexible open-source library used to perform data analysis in Python. It provides high-performance data structures (i.e., the famous DataFrame) and data analysis tools that make it easy to work with structured data.
Source: kinsta.com
Python & ETL 2020: A List and Comparison of the Top Python ETL Tools
When it comes to ETL, you can do almost anything with Pandas if you're willing to put in the time. Plus, pandas is extraordinarily easy to run. You can set up a simple script to load data from a Postgre table, transform and clean that data, and then write that data to another Postgre table.
Source: www.xplenty.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pandas seems to be a lot more popular than Apache Mahout. While we know about 219 links to Pandas, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Apache Mahout. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Mahout mentions (3)

  • Apache Mahout: A Deep Dive into Open Source Innovation and Funding Models
    Apache Mahout stands as a prime example of how open source projects can thrive through community collaboration, transparent governance, and diversified funding strategies. Its integration of traditional corporate sponsorship and avant-garde blockchain tokenization demonstrates that sustainability in open source development is not only feasible but can also be dynamic and innovative. Whether you are a developer... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • In One Minute : Hadoop
    Mahout, a library of machine learning algorithms compatible with M/R paradigm. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • 20+ Free Tools & Resources for Machine Learning
    Mahout Apache Mahout (TM) is a distributed linear algebra framework and mathematically expressive Scala DSL designed to let mathematicians, statisticians, and data scientists quickly implement their own algorithms. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago

Pandas mentions (219)

  • Top Programming Languages for AI Development in 2025
    Libraries for data science and deep learning that are always changing. - Source: dev.to / 6 days ago
  • How to import sample data into a Python notebook on watsonx.ai and other questions…
    # Read the content of nda.txt Try: Import os, types Import pandas as pd From botocore.client import Config Import ibm_boto3 Def __iter__(self): return 0 # @hidden_cell # The following code accesses a file in your IBM Cloud Object Storage. It includes your credentials. # You might want to remove those credentials before you share the notebook. Cos_client = ibm_boto3.client(service_name='s3', ... - Source: dev.to / 22 days ago
  • How I Hacked Uber’s Hidden API to Download 4379 Rides
    As with any web scraping or data processing project, I had to write a fair amount of code to clean this up and shape it into a format I needed for further analysis. I used a combination of Pandas and regular expressions to clean it up (full code here). - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • Must-Know 2025 Developer’s Roadmap and Key Programming Trends
    Python’s Growth in Data Work and AI: Python continues to lead because of its easy-to-read style and the huge number of libraries available for tasks from data work to artificial intelligence. Tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch make it a must-have. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, Python’s clear style makes it a good choice for diving into machine learning. Actionable Tip: If you’re new to Python,... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Sample Super Store Analysis Using Python & Pandas
    This tutorial provides a concise and foundational guide to exploring a dataset, specifically the Sample SuperStore dataset. This dataset, which appears to originate from a fictional e-commerce or online marketplace company's annual sales data, serves as an excellent example for learning and how to work with real-world data. The dataset includes a variety of data types, which demonstrate the full range of... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Mahout and Pandas, you can also consider the following products

Apache Ambari - Ambari is aimed at making Hadoop management simpler by developing software for provisioning, managing, and monitoring Hadoop clusters.

NumPy - NumPy is the fundamental package for scientific computing with Python

Apache HBase - Apache HBase – Apache HBase™ Home

Scikit-learn - scikit-learn (formerly scikits.learn) is an open source machine learning library for the Python programming language.

Apache Pig - Pig is a high-level platform for creating MapReduce programs used with Hadoop.

OpenCV - OpenCV is the world's biggest computer vision library