gRPC

Website

grpc.io

$ Details

Categories

#Web Servers #Web And Application Servers #Load Balancer / Reverse Proxy #Developer Tools

Hazelcast

Website

hazelcast.com

$ Details

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Categories

#Databases #NoSQL Databases #Key-Value Database #Relational Databases

gRPC features and specs

• Performance
  gRPC uses Protocol Buffers, which are more efficient in terms of serialization and deserialization compared to text-based formats like JSON. This leads to lower CPU usage and faster transmission, making it suitable for high-performance applications.
• Bi-directional Streaming
  gRPC supports bi-directional streaming, enabling both client and server to send a series of messages through a single connection. This is particularly useful for real-time communication applications.
• Strongly Typed APIs
  gRPC uses Protocol Buffers for defining service methods and message types, providing a strong type system that can catch potential issues at compile-time rather than runtime.
• Cross-language Support
  gRPC supports a wide range of programming languages, including but not limited to Java, C++, Python, Go, and C#. This allows for flexible integration in polyglot environments.
• Built-in Deadlines/Timeouts
  gRPC natively supports deadlines and timeouts to help manage long-running calls and avoid indefinite blocking, improving robustness and reliability.
• Automatic Code Generation
  gRPC provides tools for automatic code generation from .proto files, reducing boilerplate code and speeding up the development process.

Possible disadvantages of gRPC

• Learning Curve
  The complexity of gRPC and Protocol Buffers may present a steep learning curve for developers who are not familiar with these technologies.
• Limited Browser Support
  gRPC was not originally designed with browser support in mind, making it challenging to directly call gRPC services from web applications without additional tools like gRPC-Web.
• Verbose Configuration
  Setting up gRPC and defining .proto files can be more verbose compared to simpler RESTful APIs, which might be a deterrent for smaller projects.
• HTTP/2 Requirement
  gRPC relies on HTTP/2 for transport, which can be problematic in environments where HTTP/2 is not supported or requires additional configuration.
• Limited Monitoring and Debugging Tools
  Compared to REST, there are fewer tools available for monitoring, debugging, and testing gRPC services, which might complicate troubleshooting and performance tuning.
• Protobuf Ecosystem Requirement
  Depending on the language, integrating Protocol Buffers might require additional dependencies and tooling, which could add to the maintenance overhead.

Hazelcast features and specs

• Scalability
  Hazelcast is designed to scale out horizontally with ease by adding more nodes to the cluster, providing better performance and reliability in distributed environments.
• In-Memory Data Grid
  Hazelcast stores data in-memory, allowing for extremely fast data access and processing times, which is ideal for applications requiring low latency.
• High Availability
  Hazelcast offers built-in high availability with its data replication and partitioning features, ensuring data is not lost and the system remains operational during node failures.
• Ease of Use
  Hazelcast provides a simple and intuitive API, making it accessible to developers and quick to integrate with existing applications.
• Comprehensive Toolset
  Hazelcast offers a wide range of features including caching, messaging, and distributed computing, all in one platform, which simplifies the architecture by reducing the need for multiple tools.

Possible disadvantages of Hazelcast

• Memory Usage
  Since Hazelcast operates in-memory, it can consume significant amounts of memory, which may be a concern for applications with large datasets.
• Complexity in Large Deployments
  While Hazelcast offers scalability, managing and configuring a large-scale deployment can become complex and may require experienced personnel.
• License Cost
  The enterprise version of Hazelcast, which offers additional features and support, comes with a licensing cost that might not fit all budgets.
• Limited Language Support
  Hazelcast's strongest support is for Java. While it offers clients for other languages, they may not be as robust or feature-complete as the Java client.
• Network Latency
  In distributed environments, network latency can impact performance, and as Hazelcast relies on network communication for node interactions, this could be a concern in some scenarios.

gRPC, Protobufs and Go... OH MY! An introduction to building client/server systems with gRPC

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Hazelcast Introduction and cluster demo

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