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Apache Spark VS Apache Pinot

Compare Apache Spark VS Apache Pinot and see what are their differences

Apache Spark logo Apache Spark

Apache Spark is an engine for big data processing, with built-in modules for streaming, SQL, machine learning and graph processing.

Apache Pinot logo Apache Pinot

Apache Pinot is a real-time distributed OLAP datastore, built to deliver scalable real-time analytics with low latency.
  • Apache Spark Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-31
Not present

Apache Spark features and specs

  • Speed
    Apache Spark processes data in-memory, significantly increasing the processing speed of data tasks compared to traditional disk-based engines.
  • Ease of Use
    Spark offers high-level APIs in Java, Scala, Python, and R, making it accessible to a broad range of developers and data scientists.
  • Advanced Analytics
    Spark supports advanced analytics, including machine learning, graph processing, and real-time streaming, which can be executed in the same application.
  • Scalability
    Spark can handle both small- and large-scale data processing tasks, scaling seamlessly from a single machine to thousands of servers.
  • Support for Various Data Sources
    Spark can integrate with a wide variety of data sources, including HDFS, Apache HBase, Apache Hive, Cassandra, and many others.
  • Active Community
    Spark has a vibrant and active community, providing a wealth of extensions, tools, and support options.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Spark

  • Memory Consumption
    Spark's in-memory processing can be resource-intensive, requiring substantial amounts of RAM, which can drive up costs for large-scale deployments.
  • Complexity in Configuration
    To optimize performance, Spark requires careful configuration and tuning, which can be complex and time-consuming.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its ease of use, mastering the full range of Spark's features and best practices can take considerable time and effort.
  • Latency for Small Data
    For smaller datasets or low-latency requirements, Spark might not be the most efficient choice, as other technologies could offer better performance.
  • Integration Overhead
    Though Spark integrates with many systems, incorporating it into an existing data infrastructure can introduce additional overhead and complexity.
  • Community Support Variability
    While the community is active, the support and quality of third-party libraries and tools can be inconsistent, leading to potential challenges in implementation.

Apache Pinot features and specs

  • Real-time Analytics
    Apache Pinot is designed for real-time analytics on large-scale data. It is capable of ingesting data from streaming sources like Apache Kafka, providing low-latency query capabilities on freshly ingested data.
  • High Throughput
    Pinot can handle high query loads and large datasets efficiently. Its architecture is optimized for distributed processing and fast query execution, making it suitable for use cases with high query throughput requirements.
  • Columnar Storage
    Pinot utilizes a columnar storage format, which allows efficient compression and fast retrieval of highly selective query results, reducing I/O and improving query performance.
  • Scalability
    Pinot is highly scalable and can be deployed across a distributed infrastructure. This makes it suitable for both growing startups and large enterprises with expanding data needs.
  • Integration with Big Data Ecosystem
    Apache Pinot integrates seamlessly with other big data technologies like Apache Kafka, Hadoop, and Spark, making it easier for organizations to adopt it in existing tech stacks.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Pinot

  • Complex Setup
    Deploying and configuring a Pinot cluster can be complex, especially for organizations without experience in distributed systems, requiring careful planning and resources.
  • Maintenance Overhead
    Running a Pinot cluster involves ongoing maintenance tasks such as monitoring, scaling, and upgrading the system, which can add to the operational overhead.
  • Learning Curve
    Organizations may encounter a steep learning curve when adopting Apache Pinot, especially if team members are not familiar with its architecture and operational procedures.
  • Limited Use Cases
    While Pinot is powerful for real-time analytics, it may not be the best choice for transactional or general-purpose database use cases, limiting its applicability in certain scenarios.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Pinot efficiently requires a significant amount of computational resources, which might be a concern for organizations with limited infrastructure or budget.

Analysis of Apache Spark

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Apache Spark is generally considered good, especially for organizations and individuals that require efficient and fast data processing capabilities. It is well-supported, frequently updated, and widely adopted in the industry, making it a reliable choice for big data solutions.

Why this product is good

  • Apache Spark is highly valued because it provides a fast and general-purpose cluster-computing framework for big data processing. It offers extensive libraries for SQL, streaming, machine learning, and graph processing, making it versatile for various data processing needs. Its in-memory computing capability boosts the processing speed significantly compared to traditional disk-based processing. Additionally, Spark integrates well with Hadoop and other big data tools, providing a seamless ecosystem for large-scale data analysis.

Recommended for

  • Data scientists and engineers working with large datasets.
  • Organizations leveraging machine learning and analytics for decision-making.
  • Businesses needing real-time data processing capabilities.
  • Developers looking to integrate with Hadoop ecosystems.
  • Teams requiring robust support for multiple data sources and formats.

Apache Spark videos

Weekly Apache Spark live Code Review -- look at StringIndexer multi-col (Scala) & Python testing

More videos:

  • Review - What's New in Apache Spark 3.0.0
  • Review - Apache Spark for Data Engineering and Analysis - Overview

Apache Pinot videos

No Apache Pinot videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Spark and Apache Pinot)
Databases
91 91%
9% 9
Big Data
90 90%
10% 10
Stream Processing
100 100%
0% 0
Data Dashboard
0 0%
100% 100

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 Spark and Apache Pinot

Apache Spark Reviews

15 data science tools to consider using in 2021
Apache Spark is an open source data processing and analytics engine that can handle large amounts of data -- upward of several petabytes, according to proponents. Spark's ability to rapidly process data has fueled significant growth in the use of the platform since it was created in 2009, helping to make the Spark project one of the largest open source communities among big...
Top 15 Kafka Alternatives Popular In 2021
Apache Spark is a well-known, general-purpose, open-source analytics engine for large-scale, core data processing. It is known for its high-performance quality for data processing โ€“ batch and streaming with the help of its DAG scheduler, query optimizer, and engine. Data streams are processed in real-time and hence it is quite fast and efficient. Its machine learning...
5 Best-Performing Tools that Build Real-Time Data Pipeline
Apache Spark is an open-source and flexible in-memory framework which serves as an alternative to map-reduce for handling batch, real-time analytics and data processing workloads. It provides native bindings for the Java, Scala, Python, and R programming languages, and supports SQL, streaming data, machine learning and graph processing. From its beginning in the AMPLab at...

Apache Pinot Reviews

Rockset, ClickHouse, Apache Druid, or Apache Pinot? Which is the best database for customer-facing analytics?
The biggest value behind Apache Pinot is that you can index each column, which allows it to process data at a super fast speed. โ€œItโ€™s like taking a pivot table and saving it to disk. So you can get this highly dimensional data with pre-computed aggregations and pull those out in what seems like supernaturally fast time,โ€ says Tim Berglund, Developer Relations at StarTree....
Source: embeddable.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Spark seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 72 times since March 2021. 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 Spark mentions (72)

  • Gravitino - the unified metadata lake
    In the meantime, other query engine support is on the roadmap, including Apache Spark, Apache Flink, and others. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Introducing RisingWave's Hosted Iceberg Catalog-No External Setup Needed
    Because the hosted catalog is a standard JDBC catalog, tools like Spark, Trino, and Flink can still access your tables. For example:. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Every Database Will Support Iceberg โ€” Here's Why
    Apache Iceberg defines a table format that separates how data is stored from how data is queried. Any engine that implements the Iceberg integration โ€” Spark, Flink, Trino, DuckDB, Snowflake, RisingWave โ€” can read and/or write Iceberg data directly. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • How to Reduce Big Data Analytics Costs by 90% with Karpenter and Spark
    Apache Spark powers large-scale data analytics and machine learning, but as workloads grow exponentially, traditional static resource allocation leads to 30โ€“50% resource waste due to idle Executors and suboptimal instance selection. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Unveiling the Apache License 2.0: A Deep Dive into Open Source Freedom
    One of the key attributes of Apache License 2.0 is its flexible nature. Permitting use in both proprietary and open source environments, it has become the go-to choice for innovative projects ranging from the Apache HTTP Server to large-scale initiatives like Apache Spark and Hadoop. This flexibility is not solely legal; it is also philosophical. The license is designed to encourage transparency and maintain a... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
View more

Apache Pinot mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Apache Pinot yet. Tracking of Apache Pinot recommendations started around May 2025.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Spark and Apache Pinot, you can also consider the following products

Apache Flink - Flink is a streaming dataflow engine that provides data distribution, communication, and fault tolerance for distributed computations.

ClickHouse - ClickHouse is an open-source column-oriented database management system that allows generating analytical data reports in real time.

Hadoop - Open-source software for reliable, scalable, distributed computing

Hashquery - A Python framework for defining and querying BI models in your data warehouse.

Apache Hive - Apache Hive data warehouse software facilitates querying and managing large datasets residing in distributed storage.

ViyaDB - In-Memory Analytical Database