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Apache Thrift VS Crow framework

Compare Apache Thrift VS Crow framework and see what are their differences

Apache Thrift logo Apache Thrift

An interface definition language and communication protocol for creating cross-language services.

Crow framework logo Crow framework

C++ micro web framework inspired by Python Flask
  • Apache Thrift Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-07-12
  • Crow framework Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24

Apache Thrift features and specs

  • Cross-Language Support
    Apache Thrift supports numerous programming languages including Java, Python, C++, Ruby, and more, enabling seamless communication between services written in different languages.
  • Efficient Serialization
    Thrift offers efficient binary serialization which helps in reducing the payload size and improves the communication speed between services.
  • Service Definition Flexibility
    Thrift provides a robust interface definition language (IDL) for defining and generating code for services with strict type checking, fostering strong contract interfaces.
  • Scalability
    Due to its lightweight and efficient serialization mechanisms, Apache Thrift can handle a large number of simultaneous client connections, making it suitable for scalable distributed systems.
  • Versioning Support
    Thrift supports service versioning which helps in evolving APIs without disrupting existing services or clients.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Thrift

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For new users, especially those not familiar with RPC frameworks, learning and understanding Thrift’s IDL and operations can be complex and time-consuming.
  • Documentation and Community Support
    Compared to some alternative technologies, Apache Thrift's documentation and community support can be less robust, which might pose challenges in troubleshooting or seeking guidance.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    Thrift does not support some advanced features like streaming or multiplexing out of the box, which could limit its use in complex systems requiring these functionalities.
  • Infrastructure Overhead
    Integrating Thrift into an existing system might introduce infrastructure overhead both in initial setup and ongoing maintenance, especially when dealing with multiple languages.
  • Protocol Limitations
    While Thrift is highly efficient, its protocol limitations might require additional workarounds for certain data structures or transport mechanisms, complicating development.

Crow framework features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Crow is a very lightweight web framework designed for C++ which makes it suitable for high-performance applications where resource efficiency is important.
  • Header-only
    Being a header-only library, Crow is easy to integrate into existing C++ projects without the need for complex build configurations or additional dependencies.
  • C++14 Support
    Crow requires C++14, which allows developers to use some modern C++ features that can help with writing more efficient and cleaner code.
  • Ease of Use
    The framework offers a simple and straightforward API that makes setting up HTTP routes and handling requests more convenient compared to other more complex alternatives.
  • Good for Prototyping
    Crow's simplicity and ease of setup make it a good choice for quickly prototyping web applications in C++.

Possible disadvantages of Crow framework

  • Limited Features
    Crow may not have as many built-in features as some more established frameworks, making it necessary to implement certain functionalities manually.
  • Community and Support
    The community around Crow is not as large as other more popular frameworks, which might limit the availability of community support and third-party resources.
  • Lack of Official Documentation
    Crow's documentation may not be as comprehensive or up-to-date as other frameworks, which could hinder learning and development for new users.
  • Platform-Specific Limitations
    Being a C++ framework, Crow might face platform-specific issues, and ensuring cross-platform compatibility may require additional effort.
  • Single-Threaded by Default
    Crow is single-threaded by default, which could be a limitation for handling a large number of concurrent connections, although multithreaded operation can be configured.

Analysis of Apache Thrift

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Apache Thrift is considered to be a good option for projects needing cross-language communication and efficient serialization. Its efficiency and wide adoption have proven it to be a reliable framework in many production environments.

Why this product is good

  • Apache Thrift is a widely used framework for scalable cross-language services development. It allows for seamless communication between programs written in different languages by providing code generation and serialization capabilities for a variety of languages. Thrift supports an efficient binary protocol and is highly customizable, making it a robust choice for services that require performance and flexibility. Additionally, it's an open-source project under the Apache Software Foundation, which ensures it has a strong community and ongoing updates.

Recommended for

  • Organizations that require cross-language service communication
  • Projects that need high-performance and low-latency data transmission
  • Developers looking for a framework with support for multiple programming languages
  • Teams looking for a customizable serialization protocol

Apache Thrift videos

Apache Thrift

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Category Popularity

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Web Servers
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Project Management
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Web And Application Servers
Web Frameworks
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User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Thrift should be more popular than Crow framework. It has been mentiond 13 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 Thrift mentions (13)

  • Show HN: TypeSchema – A JSON specification to describe data models
    I once read a paper about Apache/Meta Thrift [1,2]. It allows you to define data types/interfaces in a definition file and generate code for many programming languages. It was specifically designed for RPCs and microservices. [1]: https://thrift.apache.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Delving Deeper: Enriching Microservices with Golang with CloudWeGo
    While gRPC and Apache Thrift have served the microservice architecture well, CloudWeGo's advanced features and performance metrics set it apart as a promising open source solution for the future. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Reddit System Design/Architecture
    Services in general communicate via Thrift (and in some cases HTTP). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Universal type language!
    Protocol Buffers is the most popular one, but there are many others such as Apache Thrift and my own Typical. Source: over 3 years ago
  • You worked on it? Why is it slow then?
    RPC is not strictly OO, but you can think of RPC calls like method calls. In general it will reflect your interface design and doesn't have to be top-down, although a good project usually will look that way. A good contrast to REST where you use POST/PUT/GET/DELETE pattern on resources where as a procedure call could be a lot more flexible and potentially lighter weight. Think of it like defining methods in code... Source: almost 4 years ago
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Crow framework mentions (6)

  • VueJS goes to microcontroller firmware. This website runs in ESP32 board, with frontend is made with VueJS, TailwindCSS and backend is written in C++.
    I did something similar in the past and used https://github.com/ipkn/crow as web server, in case you want to not implement the web part yourself. Otherwise amazing job! Source: over 3 years ago
  • C++ to Browser JS Framework Recommendations
    Open socket, serve a html page, implement GET/PUT or find framework that do https://github.com/ipkn/crow. Source: about 4 years ago
  • I forked Crow, an abandoned C++ Web Framework. And I'm currently maintaining it.
    Last year I was looking to port a Flask REST API I made to C++ because speed and why not. I went through a few C++ frameworks but eventually chose the abandoned since 2017 Crow. It was by far the easiest to set up and work with (being inspired by Flask in the first place), and it didn't hurt that it supported Websockets. Source: about 5 years ago
  • C++ vs C# .net 5
    All right Op feel free to check this micro framework out if your company is going to build a rest api in C++ https://github.com/ipkn/crow . Source: about 5 years ago
  • cpprestsdk in maintenance mode
    I haven't used any of the following libraries/frameworks but maybe some of them will fit for your needs: - Crow micro web framework. Source: about 5 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Thrift and Crow framework, you can also consider the following products

Docker Hub - Docker Hub is a cloud-based registry service

Frappe Framework - Frappe is a full stack web framework in Python and JS.

Apache ZooKeeper - Apache ZooKeeper is an effort to develop and maintain an open-source server which enables highly reliable distributed coordination.

Cutelyst - Qt-based web framework using the elegant approach of Catalyst framework

Eureka - Eureka is a contact center and enterprise performance through speech analytics that immediately reveals insights from automated analysis of communications including calls, chat, email, texts, social media, surveys and more.

Silicon web framework - High performance, middleware oriented C++14 http web framework