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IBM MQ VS Apache Thrift

Compare IBM MQ VS Apache Thrift and see what are their differences

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IBM MQ logo IBM MQ

IBM MQ is messaging middleware that simplifies and accelerates the integration of diverse applications and data across multiple platforms.

Apache Thrift logo Apache Thrift

An interface definition language and communication protocol for creating cross-language services.
  • IBM MQ Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-03
  • Apache Thrift Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-07-12

IBM MQ features and specs

  • Reliability
    IBM MQ is renowned for its high reliability, ensuring that your messages are delivered once and only once. This is critical for applications where message loss can result in significant operational issues.
  • Security
    It provides robust security features, including authentication, encryption, and authorization, which are essential for protecting sensitive data in transit.
  • Scalability
    IBM MQ can scale horizontally and vertically to meet the demands of growing applications and varying workloads, making it suitable for both small-scale and enterprise-level deployments.
  • Integrations
    It supports a wide range of platforms and programming languages, which makes it easier to integrate with existing systems and applications.
  • Transaction Support
    It offers comprehensive support for transactions, ensuring that multiple related messages are processed in a single unit of work, which can be rolled back if needed.
  • High Availability
    Features like queue manager clustering and multi-instance queue managers provide high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.

Possible disadvantages of IBM MQ

  • Cost
    IBM MQ is a premium product, which means it comes with a significant cost, especially for large-scale enterprise deployments.
  • Complexity
    Setting up and maintaining IBM MQ can be complex, requiring specialized knowledge and skills, which can be a barrier for smaller teams or organizations.
  • Resource Intensive
    It can be resource-intensive, requiring substantial computational resources for its full operation, which may not be ideal for lightweight or resource-constrained environments.
  • Dependency
    Using IBM MQ can create a dependency on IBM’s ecosystem, which might limit flexibility and increase the cost and complexity of switching to a different messaging solution in the future.
  • Learning Curve
    There is a steep learning curve associated with IBM MQ, particularly for new users who are not familiar with message queuing or IBM's specific implementation.
  • Licensing
    The licensing model can be complex and sometimes difficult to navigate, potentially leading to unexpected costs if not carefully managed.

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.

Analysis of IBM MQ

Overall verdict

  • Yes, IBM MQ is generally considered a good option for organizations that require dependable message queuing solutions. It offers a comprehensive set of features that cater to various enterprise-level messaging needs, and it has a proven track record in critical systems across industries.

Why this product is good

  • IBM MQ is widely regarded as a reliable and robust messaging middleware solution. It provides secure and efficient message queuing services, ensuring that messages between applications are delivered reliably and in the correct order. Its features include high availability, transaction support, scalability, and integration capabilities with a wide range of systems. Additionally, its long-standing presence in the industry means it's backed by substantial support and a wealth of documentation.

Recommended for

  • Large enterprises requiring robust message queuing
  • Organizations dealing with sensitive or mission-critical data
  • Businesses that need to integrate multiple and diverse systems
  • Companies looking for high availability and disaster recovery solutions
  • Industries like finance, healthcare, and logistics where reliable communication is crucial

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

IBM MQ videos

IBM MQ Clustering - Tom Dunlap

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Apache Thrift videos

Apache Thrift

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to IBM MQ and Apache Thrift)
Data Integration
100 100%
0% 0
Web Servers
0 0%
100% 100
Cloud Computing
100 100%
0% 0
Web And Application Servers

User comments

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Reviews

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

IBM MQ Reviews

6 Best Kafka Alternatives: 2022’s Must-know List
IBM MQ is one of the best Kafka Alternatives which has an easy-to-use Interface and High Reliability and Data Security. It also facilitates the interoperability between various applications, either within or outside the organization. IBM MQ allows developers to focus on critical issues and manage any changes to transaction volumes asynchronously due to its simple structure.
Source: hevodata.com
Top 15 Alternatives to RabbitMQ In 2021
IBM MQ is an official message middleware which shortens the integration of varied applications and data spread throughout numerous platforms. It employs a message queue to share the info and offers a distinct messaging service for cloud systems, IoT gadgets, and mobile environments. By linking every element virtually from modest device to most complicated industrial...
Source: gokicker.com
Top 15 Kafka Alternatives Popular In 2021
IBM MQ is an easily usable interface with a great deal of reliability and security. Support is readily available in case needed anytime. It looks at handling the interoperability between various applications, be it within the organization or outside. It has asynchronous competencies and offers message integrity and relentless delivery. Because of its simplistic nature, it...

Apache Thrift Reviews

We have no reviews of Apache Thrift yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Thrift seems to be more popular. 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.

IBM MQ mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of IBM MQ yet. Tracking of IBM MQ recommendations started around Mar 2021.

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 / 7 months 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 1 year ago
  • Reddit System Design/Architecture
    Services in general communicate via Thrift (and in some cases HTTP). Source: about 2 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 2 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: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing IBM MQ and Apache Thrift, you can also consider the following products

RabbitMQ - RabbitMQ is an open source message broker software.

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

Ethereum - Ethereum is a decentralized platform for applications that run exactly as programmed without any chance of fraud, censorship or third-party interference.

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.

Hyperledger - Hyperledger is a multi-project open source collaborative effort hosted by The Linux Foundation, created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies.

gRPC - Application and Data, Languages & Frameworks, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), and Service Discovery