TIL: Apache Samza, System Design, and Messaging Tools

Stream Processing and Big Data

Apache Samza

• Apache Samza
• Distributed stream processing framework
• Built for handling real-time data streams at scale
• Integrates closely with Apache Kafka for message streaming
• Used by LinkedIn and other large-scale organizations
• Provides fault-tolerant, scalable stream processing capabilities

System Design Resources

System Design Learning

• Awesome System Design
• Curated collection of system design resources
• Covers distributed systems, scalability, and architecture patterns
• Essential for technical interviews and building large-scale systems
• Includes case studies, papers, and practical examples

Messaging and Monitoring Tools

Origin - Monitoring and Alert Server

• origin is a monitoring and alert server based on ZeroMQ and JSON messaging
• Lightweight monitoring solution using ZeroMQ for message transport
• JSON-based configuration and messaging
• Suitable for custom monitoring setups
• Demonstrates practical use of ZeroMQ in production systems

Plumber - Multi-Protocol Messaging CLI

• plumber is a CLI for Kafka, RabbitMQ and other messaging systems
• Unified command-line interface for multiple messaging platforms
• Supports Kafka, RabbitMQ, and other popular message brokers
• Useful for debugging, testing, and interacting with messaging infrastructure
• Simplifies working with heterogeneous messaging environments

Key Takeaways

Stream Processing Ecosystem

• Apache Samza represents mature stream processing technology
• Critical for real-time data processing at scale
• Part of broader Apache ecosystem (Kafka, Storm, Flink)

Tooling and Operations

• Specialized tools like Plumber improve developer productivity
• Monitoring systems like Origin show lightweight approaches to observability
• System design knowledge is fundamental for building scalable applications