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Pandas VS Apache Spark

Compare Pandas VS Apache Spark and see what are their differences

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LibHunt tracks mentions of software libraries on relevant social networks. Based on that data, you can find the most popular projects and their alternatives. featured
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Contents:
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  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
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Pandas logo Pandas

Pandas is an open source library providing high-performance, easy-to-use data structures and data analysis tools for the Python.

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.
  • Pandas Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-12
  • Apache Spark Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-31

Pandas features and specs

  • Data Wrangling
    Pandas offers robust tools for manipulating, cleaning, and transforming data, making it easier to prepare data for analysis.
  • Flexible Data Structures
    Pandas provides two primary data structures: Series and DataFrame, which are flexible and offer powerful capabilities for handling various types of datasets.
  • Integration with Other Libraries
    Pandas integrates seamlessly with other Python libraries such as NumPy, Matplotlib, and SciPy, facilitating comprehensive data analysis workflows.
  • Performance with Data Size
    For data sizes that fit into memory, Pandas performs excellently with operations and computations being highly optimized.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Pandas provides a wide array of functionalities, including but not limited to group-by operations, merging and joining data sets, time-series functionality, and input/output tools.
  • Community and Documentation
    Pandas has a strong community and extensive documentation, offering a wealth of tutorials, examples, and support for new and experienced users alike.

Possible disadvantages of Pandas

  • Memory Consumption
    Pandas can become memory inefficient with very large datasets because it relies heavily on in-memory operations.
  • Single-threaded
    Many Pandas operations are single-threaded, which can lead to performance bottlenecks when handling very large datasets.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    For users who are new to data analysis or Pandas, there can be a steep learning curve due to its extensive capabilities and complex syntax at times.
  • Less Suitable for Real-time Analytics
    Pandas is not designed for real-time analytics and is better suited for batch processing due to its in-memory operations and single-threaded nature.
  • Error Handling
    Error messages in Pandas can sometimes be cryptic and hard to interpret, making debugging a challenge for users.

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.

Analysis of Pandas

Overall verdict

  • Pandas is highly recommended for tasks involving data manipulation and analysis, especially for those working with tabular data. Its efficiency and ease of use make it a staple in the data science toolkit.

Why this product is good

  • Pandas is widely considered a good library for data manipulation and analysis due to its powerful data structures, like DataFrames and Series, which make it easy to work with structured data. It provides a wide array of functions for data cleaning, transformation, and aggregation, which are essential tasks in data analysis. Furthermore, Pandas seamlessly integrates with other libraries in the Python ecosystem, making it a versatile tool for data scientists and analysts. Its extensive documentation and strong community support also contribute to its reputation as a reliable tool for data analysis tasks.

Recommended for

    Pandas is particularly recommended for data scientists, analysts, and engineers who need to perform data cleaning, transformation, and analysis as part of their work. It is also suitable for academics and researchers dealing with data in various formats and needing powerful tools for their data-driven research.

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.

Pandas videos

+ Add

Ozzy Man Reviews: Pandas

More videos:

  • Review - Ozzy Man Reviews: PANDAS Part 2
  • Review - Trash Pandas Review with Sam Healey

Apache Spark videos

+ Add

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Pandas and Apache Spark)

Pandas

Apache Spark

Data Science And Machine Learning
100 100%
Data Science And Machine Learning
0% 0
Databases
0 0%
Databases
100% 100
Data Science Tools
100 100%
Data Science Tools
0% 0
Big Data
0 0%
Big Data
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 Pandas and Apache Spark

Pandas Reviews

25 Python Frameworks to Master
Pandas is a powerful and flexible open-source library used to perform data analysis in Python. It provides high-performance data structures (i.e., the famous DataFrame) and data analysis tools that make it easy to work with structured data.
Source: kinsta.com
Python & ETL 2020: A List and Comparison of the Top Python ETL Tools
When it comes to ETL, you can do almost anything with Pandas if you're willing to put in the time. Plus, pandas is extraordinarily easy to run. You can set up a simple script to load data from a Postgre table, transform and clean that data, and then write that data to another Postgre table.
Source: www.xplenty.com

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...
Source: searchbusinessanalytics.techtarget.com
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 – 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...
Source: www.spec-india.com
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...
Source: www.analyticsinsight.net

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pandas should be more popular than Apache Spark. It has been mentiond 220 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.

Pandas mentions (220)

  • Top 5 GitHub Repositories for Data Science in 2026
    The book introduces the core libraries essential for working with data in Python: particularly IPython, NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, Scikit-Learn, and related packages Familiarity with Python as a language is assumed; if you need a quick introduction to the language itself, see the free companion project, A…. - Source: dev.to / 14 days ago
  • Top Programming Languages for AI Development in 2025
    Libraries for data science and deep learning that are always changing. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • How to import sample data into a Python notebook on watsonx.ai and other questions…
    # Read the content of nda.txt Try: Import os, types Import pandas as pd From botocore.client import Config Import ibm_boto3 Def __iter__(self): return 0 # @hidden_cell # The following code accesses a file in your IBM Cloud Object Storage. It includes your credentials. # You might want to remove those credentials before you share the notebook. Cos_client = ibm_boto3.client(service_name='s3', ... - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • How I Hacked Uber’s Hidden API to Download 4379 Rides
    As with any web scraping or data processing project, I had to write a fair amount of code to clean this up and shape it into a format I needed for further analysis. I used a combination of Pandas and regular expressions to clean it up (full code here). - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Must-Know 2025 Developer’s Roadmap and Key Programming Trends
    Python’s Growth in Data Work and AI: Python continues to lead because of its easy-to-read style and the huge number of libraries available for tasks from data work to artificial intelligence. Tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch make it a must-have. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, Python’s clear style makes it a good choice for diving into machine learning. Actionable Tip: If you’re new to Python,... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
View more

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 — 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 — Spark, Flink, Trino, DuckDB, Snowflake, RisingWave — 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 30–50% 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

What are some alternatives?

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

NumPy - NumPy is the fundamental package for scientific computing with Python

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

Scikit-learn - scikit-learn (formerly scikits.learn) is an open source machine learning library for the Python programming language.

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

OpenCV - OpenCV is the world's biggest computer vision library

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

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