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ClickHouse VS Apache Drill

Compare ClickHouse VS Apache Drill and see what are their differences

ClickHouse logo ClickHouse

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

Apache Drill logo Apache Drill

Schema-Free SQL Query Engine for Hadoop and NoSQL
  • ClickHouse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-06-18
  • Apache Drill Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-17

ClickHouse features and specs

  • High Performance
    ClickHouse is designed for fast processing of analytical queries, often performing significantly faster than traditional databases due to its columnar storage format and optimized query execution.
  • Scalability
    The system is built to handle extensive datasets by scaling horizontally through distributed cluster configurations, making it suitable for big data applications.
  • Real-time Data Ingestion
    ClickHouse supports real-time data ingestion and can immediately reflect changes in query results, which is valuable for use cases requiring instant data processing and analysis.
  • Cost Efficiency
    The open-source nature of ClickHouse makes it a cost-effective option, especially when compared to other commercial data warehouses.
  • SQL Compatibility
    ClickHouse features strong SQL support, which makes it easier for individuals with SQL expertise to transition and use the platform effectively.
  • Compression
    ClickHouse employs advanced compression algorithms that reduce storage requirements and improve query performance.

Possible disadvantages of ClickHouse

  • Complexity in Setup
    Setting up and managing ClickHouse, particularly in a distributed cluster environment, can be complex and require a higher level of expertise compared to some other database systems.
  • Limited Transaction Support
    ClickHouse is optimized for read-heavy operations and analytics but does not support full ACID transactions, which limits its use for certain transactional use cases.
  • Ecosystem and Tooling
    While the ecosystem is growing, ClickHouse still has fewer tools and third-party integrations compared to more mature databases, which can limit its utility in some environments.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running ClickHouse, especially for large datasets, can be resource-intensive, requiring significant memory and CPU resources.
  • Limited User Management
    The platform has relatively basic user management and security features, which may not meet the needs of enterprises with strict compliance and governance requirements.

Apache Drill features and specs

  • Schema-Free JSON Querying
    Apache Drill is designed to handle schema-less data, allowing users to query JSON and other flexible schemas without needing pre-defined structures. This flexibility makes it ideal for exploring semi-structured data on the fly.
  • SQL Interface
    Drill offers a user-friendly SQL interface, making it accessible for users familiar with traditional SQL databases. This allows professionals to leverage their existing SQL skills to interact with big data ecosystems.
  • High Performance
    With its ability to efficiently process queries on large datasets, Apache Drill is optimized for high-performance analytics and interactive queries, making it suitable for rapid insights and data exploration.
  • Integration with Multiple Data Sources
    Apache Drill can natively connect to a wide variety of data sources, including Hadoop, NoSQL databases, and cloud storage systems. This integration provides a unified view of diverse datasets without extensive ETL processes.
  • Dynamic Query Optimization
    Drill performs on-the-fly query optimization based on the available data and resource conditions, helping ensure efficient query execution and reduced latency.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Drill

  • Memory Intensive
    Apache Drill can be memory-intensive, especially when handling complex queries or very large datasets. This requires substantial hardware resources for optimal performance, which can be cost-prohibitive.
  • Lack of Mature Support and Community
    Compared to some other open-source projects, Apache Drill does not have as extensive a support network or community. This can make troubleshooting and finding community-driven solutions more challenging.
  • Limited Built-in Security Features
    While Apache Drill supports authentication and encryption, it lacks more granular access controls and advanced security features found in some competing platforms, posing potential risks in highly regulated environments.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Modifications
    For users wanting to extend or modify Apache Drill's capabilities beyond its core functions, the learning curve can be steep due to its architecture and the need for in-depth technical knowledge.
  • Updates and Active Development
    Although Apache Drill is actively developed, the pace of updates may not be as rapid or extensive as newer systems, which might delay the adoption of the latest data processing features and technologies.

ClickHouse videos

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Apache Drill videos

Using Apache Drill

More videos:

  • Review - Drilling into Data with Apache Drill
  • Review - Apache Drill and the Coolness of Big JSON - Jonathan Janos (MapR)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ClickHouse and Apache Drill)
Databases
91 91%
9% 9
Relational Databases
93 93%
7% 7
Data Warehousing
100 100%
0% 0
Database Management
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 ClickHouse and Apache Drill

ClickHouse Reviews

Rockset, ClickHouse, Apache Druid, or Apache Pinot? Which is the best database for customer-facing analytics?
ClickHouse is an open-source, column-oriented, distributed, and OLAP database that’s very easy to set up and maintain. “Because it’s columnar, it’s the best architectural approach for aggregations and for ‘sort by’ on more than one column. It also means that group by’s are very fast. It’s distributed, replication is asynchronous, and it’s OLAP—which means it’s meant for...
Source: embeddable.com
ClickHouse vs TimescaleDB
Recently, TimescaleDB published a blog comparing ClickHouse & TimescaleDB using timescale/tsbs, a timeseries benchmarking framework. I have some experience with PostgreSQL and ClickHouse but never got the chance to play with TimescaleDB. Some of the claims about TimescaleDB made in their post are very bold, that made me even more curious. I thought it’d be a great...
20+ MongoDB Alternatives You Should Know About
ClickHouse may be a great contender for moving analytical workloads from MongoDB. Much faster, and with JSON support and Nested Data Structures, it can be great choice for storing and analyzing document data.
Source: www.percona.com

Apache Drill Reviews

We have no reviews of Apache Drill yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ClickHouse seems to be a lot more popular than Apache Drill. While we know about 56 links to ClickHouse, we've tracked only 3 mentions of Apache Drill. 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.

ClickHouse mentions (56)

  • How to Build a Streaming Deduplication Pipeline with Kafka, GlassFlow, and ClickHouse
    ClickHouse: A fast columnar database. It will be our final destination for clean data. And, for simplicity in this tutorial, we'll cleverly use it as our "memory" or state store to remember which events we've already seen recently. - Source: dev.to / 10 days ago
  • Why You Shouldn’t Invest In Vector Databases?
    In fact, even in the absence of these commercial databases, users can effortlessly install PostgreSQL and leverage its built-in pgvector functionality for vector search. PostgreSQL stands as the benchmark in the realm of open-source databases, offering comprehensive support across various domains of database management. It excels in transaction processing (e.g., CockroachDB), online analytics (e.g., DuckDB),... - Source: dev.to / 30 days ago
  • Twitter's 600-Tweet Daily Limit Crisis: Soaring GCP Costs and the Open Source Fix Elon Musk Ignored
    ClickHouse: ClickHouse is an open-source columnar database management system designed for high-performance analytics. It excels at processing large volumes of data and offers real-time querying capabilities. It’s probably the world’s fastest real-time data analytics system: ClickHouse Benchmark. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • DeepSeek's Data Breach: A Wake-Up Call for AI Data Security
    Further investigation revealed that these ports provided direct access to a publicly exposed ClickHouse database—entirely unprotected and requiring no authentication. This discovery raised immediate security concerns, as ClickHouse is an open-source, columnar database management system designed for high-speed analytical queries on massive datasets. Originally developed by Yandex, ClickHouse is widely used for... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Should You Ditch Spark for DuckDB or Polars?
    Clickhouse also has managed service (https://clickhouse.com/). - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
View more

Apache Drill mentions (3)

  • Git Query Language (GQL) Aggregation Functions, Groups, Alias
    Also are you familiar with apache drill . The idea is to put an SQL interpreter in front of any kind of database just like you are doing for git here. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Roapi: An API Server for Static Datasets
    Looks super interesting and potentially useful. Curious how it compares with Apache Drill (https://drill.apache.org/). - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Does Java have an open source package that can execute SQL on txt/csv?
    Check out Apache Drill: https://drill.apache.org/. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ClickHouse and Apache Drill, you can also consider the following products

MySQL - The world's most popular open source database

Apache Doris - Apache Doris is an open-source real-time data warehouse for big data analytics.

PostgreSQL - PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system.

Open PostgreSQL Monitoring - Oversee and Manage Your PostgreSQL Servers

ReactiveMongo - Non-blocking, Reactive MongoDB Driver for Scala

StarRocks - StarRocks offers the next generation of real-time SQL engines for enterprise-scale analytics. Learn how we make it easy to deliver real-time analytics.