Top 10 Online Courses to Learn Apache Kafka

Introduction

LinkedIn originally developed Kafka. However, in 2011, it became an open-source Apache project. Kafka is written using Java and Scala, respectively. Apache Kafka is a distributed event streaming platform that allows collecting, storing, and integrating data at scale. Several top tech giants implement Kafka to create high-performance data pipelines, streaming analysis, data integration, and more. 

Today, Kafka is used by companies requiring event streaming processes such as payment processing, real-time capturing and analyzing sensor-based data from IoT devices, cloud service, mobile applications, online travel bookings, and handling order-related customer queries and interactions. 

Apache Kafka has gained immense popularity due to built-in fault tolerance capabilities and low-latent architecture to deliver high performance. Therefore, developers aiming for roles as technical architects, senior data engineers, or big data developers must be well versed with Apache Kafka skills to achieve such lucrative job opportunities.

Related courses: Top 11 Online Courses to Learn MongoDB

1. ETL and Data Pipelines with Shell, Airflow, and Kafka by IBM – Coursera

The course is available on Coursera. In this training program, the learners will delve into the ETL process and data pipelines and understand different approaches to converting raw data into analytics-ready data. Furthermore, the learners will explore data warehousing and data marts and their uses in the distributed programming environment.

In addition, the learners will become familiar with data lakes and data transformations on demand by request/calling applications. Next, the learners will understand how ETL and ELT extract data from various source systems and how data moves through the data pipeline.

Furthermore, the learners will become familiar with other essential concepts like storing data in the destination system and the methods and tools used to extract, merge, and import data into data repositories.

Finally, the learners will understand how to build streaming pipelines with the help of Kafka and understand how to apply the transformations to source data to make data credible, contextual, and accessible to users.

Additionally, the learners will learn about verifying data quality and monitoring load failures, and implementing recovery mechanisms in the event of such failures. The course curriculum includes:

Data Processing Technologies

In this module, the learners will understand the ETL processes and delve into various use cases to understand their flexibility, speed, and scalability requirements.

In addition, the learners will understand how to access raw data and data extraction using advanced technologies with the help of querying, web scraping, and APIs. The learners will also understand the data transformations as per the suitability of the application and loading data in batches or streamed continuously.

ETL and Data Pipelines: Tools and Techniques

The second module focuses on data pipelines and creating bash scripts to run on a schedule using cron. Next, the learners will understand moving data in the pipelines, including essential scheduling, triggering, monitoring, maintenance, and optimization. Furthermore, the learners will learn to extract and operate on various batches of data and use streaming data pipelines for ingesting data packets one by one.

Finally, the learners will explore the concepts of parallelization and I/O buffers to help minimize the bottleneck challenges and improve performance in terms of latency and throughput.

Building Data Pipelines using Airflow

This module allows learners to understand the advantages of Apache Airflow to represent data pipelines as DAGs to make them more maintainable, testable, and collaborative. Furthermore, the learners will understand the Airflow built-in operators and use visualization of DAG in graph or tree mode.

Finally, the learners will explore how Airflow logs are saved into local file systems, cloud storage, search engines, and log analyzers.

Building Streaming Pipelines using Kafka

The final module of the course explores the concept of streaming pipelines and various Kafka services. In addition, the learners will delve into the concepts on Kafka Stream API and the core components of Kafka, such as brokers, topics, partitions, replications, producers, and consumers.

Besides, the learners will discover two significant processors in Kafka Stream API stream processing topology, namely the source processor and the sink processor, respectively. Additionally, the learners will learn to build event streaming pipelines using Kafka.

Instructor: Yan Luo, Jeff Grossman, Sabrina Spillner, and Ramesh Sannareddy

Level: Beginner

Duration: 13 hours

User Review: 4.8/5

No. of Reviews: 23

Price: Free Enrollment (Additional charges for certification may apply)

2. BI Foundations with SQL, ETL, and Data Warehousing Specialization – Coursera

IBM offers this specialization on Coursera. In this program, the learners will begin with the fundamentals of SQL and learn to query a relational database. Next, the learners will cover the essentials of Linux commands and the basics of shell scripts. 

Additionally, the learners will deep dive into advanced concepts and build automated ETL, ELT, and data pipelines. Besides, Apache Airflow and Apache Kafka training is provided with hands-on sessions for more clarity.

The final modules explore the concepts of data lakes and data marts, and data warehouses. The learners will also learn to create interactive reports and dashboards to derive meaningful insights from the data in the warehouse.

Moreover, the applied learning projects in the course cover a wide range of hands-on projects to use various tools and techniques, schedule jobs, and build ETL and data pipelines.

Besides, the learners will learn various aspects of the Apache Kafka ecosystem, such as creating and monitoring Airflow DAGs, Kafka streams API, streaming data, designing a data warehouse verifying data quality, and loading staging and production warehouses. 

Additional projects focus on SQL queries, databases, developing cubes, creating interactive reports, and analyzing warehouse data using BI tools like Cognos Analytics. 

The course curriculum includes:

• Hands-on Introduction to Linux Commands and Shell Scripting
• Databases and SQL for Data Science with Python
• ETL and Data Pipelines with Shell, Airflow, and Kafka
• Getting Started with Data Warehousing and BI Analytics

Instructor: Rav Ahuja, Hima Vasudevan, Jeff Grossman, Ramesh Sannareddy, Yan Luo, and Sabrina Spillner

Level: Beginner

Duration: 4 months

User Review: 4.8/5

No. of Reviews: 17

Price: Free Enrollment (Additional charges for certification may apply)

3. Apache Kafka Series – Learn Apache Kafka for Beginners V2 – Udemy

The course is available on the Udemy platform. This tutorial focuses on providing a comprehensive understanding of Apache Kafka. The course begins with the fundamentals of Apache Kafka, the Kafka Ecosystem architecture, and the core concepts on partitions, brokers replicas, producers, and consumers. 

Next, the learners will deep dive into the concepts of Kafka clusters with hands-on sessions and understand the uses of the Kafka command-line interface.

Additionally, the learners will understand the concepts of code producers and consumers using the Java API and work on real-world projects to gain more clarity. Besides, the learners will cover various advanced concepts on Kafka Connect, Kafka streams, and Advanced Kafka for administrators.

Furthermore, real-world case studies and use cases are provided in the course to understand the advanced concept in detail. Finally, the learners will cover advanced topics on configurations and learn to start a Kafka cluster locally using Docker. 

The course contents are:

• Kafka Introduction
• Kafka Fundamentals
• Kafka Theory
• Starting Kafka
• CLI
• Kafka UI
• Kafka Java Programming
• Kafka Projects
• Advanced Configurations
• Kafka Extended APIs for Developers
• Real-World Insights and Case Studies
• Kafka in the Enterprise for Admins
• Advanced Kafka

Instructor: Stephen Maarek

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 7 hours and 32 minutes

User Review: 4.7/5

No. of Reviews: 27,597

Price: $47.6

4. Apache Kafka – Real -Time Stream Processing Master Class – Udemy

This course is available on Udemy. The training program is focused on providing learners with the knowledge of the complex Kafka architecture. The learners will learn about developing stream processing applications using Kafka Streams library and design organization-based data-centric infrastructure. 

In addition, the learners will cover concepts on Apache Maven to build tools for Java applications. 

At the end of the course, the learners will be well-equipped with the following:

• Apache Kafka Foundational concepts and Kafka Architecture
• Designing, Developing and Testing Real-Time Stream Processing applications using Kafka
• Auto Generating Java Objects from JSON Schema Definition
• Unit Testing and Integration Testing using Kafka Stream Application
• Creating Streams using Kafka Producer API
• Kafka Streams Architecture, Streams DSL Processor API
• Precisely Once Processing in Kafka
• Serializing and Deserializing
• Supporting Microservices Architecture and Implementing Kafka Streams Interactive Query

The course contents are:

• Introduction to Kafka
• Introduction to Real-Time Streams
• Creating Real-Time Streams
• Enter the Steam Processing
• Foundation for Real Life Implementations
• States and Store
• KTable- An Update Stream
• Real-Time Aggregates
• Timestamps and Windows
• Joining Streams and Tables
• Testing Streams Application
• Interactive Query and Micro Service Responses

Instructor: Prashant Kumar Pandey and Learning Journal

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 10 hours and 58 minutes

User Review: 4.6/5

No. of Reviews: 1333

Price: $17.4

5. Data Streaming Nanodegree Program – Udacity

The nanodegree program is a specialization program offered on the Udacity platform. This course will teach the learners to process data in real-time using various data engineering tools such as Apache Spark, Kafka, Spark Streaming, and Kafka streaming. 

The learners will become familiar with the components of the data streaming systems and build real-time analytics applications. In addition, the learners will learn to compile data and run analytics to gain insights from reports generated from the streaming console.

However, this program has few prerequisites, including Python and SQL skills, experience with ETL, and familiarity with traditional batch processing concepts and service architectures.

The course modules are:

Foundations of Data Streaming

In the first module, the learners will understand the fundamental concepts of stream processing and an in-depth understanding of working with Apache Kafka ecosystem, data schemas, Apache Avri, Kafka Connect, KSQL, Faust Stream Processing, and REST proxy.

Streaming API Development and Documentation

The final module focuses on enabling learners to master the skill sets to work with streaming data systems components and build real-time data analytics applications. In addition, the learners will be able to identify various components of Spark streaming and build applications with structured streaming.

Besides, the learners will learn how to consume and process data from Apache Kafka with Spark Structured Streaming and run a Spark cluster.

Finally, the learners will learn to create DataFrame as an aggregation of various source DataFrames, sinking a composite DataFrame to Kafka and inspecting the data sink for accuracy.

Instructor: Ben Goldberg, Judit Lantos, David Drummond, and Sean Murdock

Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Duration: 2 months

User Review: 4.2/5

No. of Reviews: 213

Price: Monthly-Access: $310.8, 2-Month Access: $528.4

6. Apache Kafka Certification Training Course – Edureka

This certification training program is available on Edureka. The course is designed to provide the essential knowledge required for Kafka big data developers. First, the learners will cover the Kafka cluster and Kafka API concepts and move onto advanced concepts like Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams, and Kafka integration using Hadoop, Storm, and Spark. The course curriculum includes:

Introduction to Big Data and Apache Kafka

The learners will gain expertise with Big data concepts and understand how Kafka architecture is beneficial. In addition, the learners will learn about the Kafka cluster and its components and learn to configure the cluster.

At the end of this module, the learners will have a complete understanding of big data, impact of big data analytics, the need for Kafka, the role of each Kafka component, and the Zookeeper and Kafka cluster.

Kafka Producer

In this module, the learners will understand how to construct a Kafka producer, send messages using Kafka, Synchronous and Asynchronous messages, Producer configurations, serialize using Apache Avro, and create and handle partitions.

Kafka Consumer

The third module focuses on providing the essentials of reading data from Kafka using Kafka consumer and subscribing to Kafka topics for receiving messages from the topics. Furthermore, the learners will understand how to construct Kafka consumers and process messages from Kaka with consumers.

At the end of this module, the learners will perform operations on Kafka, define Kafka consumer groups, the know-how of partition rebalance, partition assignment to Kafka broker, configure Kafka consumer and deserialize the received messages.

Kafka Internals

The topics covered under this module are Kafka internals, replication in Kafka, differentiation of in-sync and out-off sync replicas, partition allocation, classifying and describing requests in Kafka, and configuring Kafka for performance tuning.

Kafka Cluster Architectures and Administering Kafka

The learners will learn about multiple brokers to maintain load balance, understanding cross-cluster mirroring, multi-cluster architecture, Apache Kafka MirrorMaker, dynamic configurations, partition management, and understanding of consuming and producing.

Kafka Monitoring and Kafka Connect

In this module, the learners will have a thorough understanding of metrics of Kafka monitoring, Kafka connects, building data pipelines using Kafka connect, performing file source and sink using Kafka connect, and Kafka connects vs. Producer/Consumer API.

Kafka Stream Processing

This module provides the concepts on stream processing, different types of programming paradigm, stream processing design patterns, and Kafka Streams and Kafka Stream API.

Integration of Kafka with Hadoop, Storm, and Spark

The module focuses on providing the concepts on Hadoop, Hadoop core components, Apache Storm and its components, and Kafka’s integration with Storm. Furthermore, the learners will understand the Spark components and RDDs and the integration of Kafka with Spark.

Integration of Kafka with Talend and Cassandra

The final module covers Flume architecture and its components, Flume agent, Cassandra, its uses, Cassandra database elements, Kafka integration with Cassandra, Talend, and creating Talend jobs.

Kafka In-Class Project

Instructor: Industry Professionals

Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Duration: 5 weeks

User Review: 5/5

No. of Reviews: 7000

Price: $242.10

7. Apache Kafka Certification Training – Simplilearn

This course is offered on Simplilearn. In this course, the learners will understand the Kafka architecture, installation, configuration, and interfaces of Kafka open-source messaging. In addition, the fundamental concepts of Apache Zookeeper are covered in depth. 

Finally, the learners will understand the deployment process of Kafka’s real-time messaging. The course’s prerequisites include prior knowledge of the messaging system, Java, or other programming languages and familiarity with Linux and Unix-based systems. 

The course curriculum includes:

• Introduction to Apache Kafka
• Big Data Overview
• Big Data Analytics
• Messaging System
• Kafka Overview
• Kafka Components and Architecture
• Kafka Clusters
• Kafka Industry Use Cases
• Single Node Single-Multi Broker Cluster
• Kafka Producer
• Kafka Consumer
• Kafka Operations and Performance Tuning
• Kafka Cluster Architecture and Administering Kafka
• Kafka Monitoring and Schema Registry
• Kafka Streams and Kafka Connectors
• Integration of Kafka with Storm
• Kafka Integration with Spark and Flume
• Admin Client and Securing Kafka

Instructor: Industry Professionals and Ronald Van Loon

Level: Intermediate

Duration: Self-Paced

User Review: 4.6/5

No. of Reviews: 1183

Price: $258.4

8. Apache Kafka Series – Kafka Security, SSL, SASL, Kerberos ACL – Udemy

This course is available on Udemy. It is designed in a way that offers hands-on and theory-based concepts equally. The learners will understand the fundamentals of Kafka security and the related concepts on SSL for encryption and authentication. 

In addition, the learners will cover the concepts of SASL authentication in Kafka. Besides, the learners will delve into essential concepts on authorization in Kafka and Zookeeper security. 

At the end of the course, the learners will have a thorough understanding of how to securely transport data from machine to machine, prevent MIDM attacks on Kafka cluster, limit Access to clients with credentials, and control access using ACL. 

Furthermore, the learners will ensure only clients can read/write topics on administrator rules, preventing clients from creating and deleting topics and securing the Kafka cluster. 

The course contents are:

• Introduction
• Kafka Setup
• SSL Encryption in Kafka
• SSL Authentication in Kafka
• SASL Authentication- Kerberos/GSSAPI
• Authorization in Kafka
• Zookeeper Security

Instructor: Stephen Maarek and Gerd Koenig

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 3 hours 56 minutes

User Review: 4.7/5

No. of Reviews: 1247

Price: $47.6

9. Designing Event-Driven Applications using Apache Kafka Ecosystem – Pluralsight

This course is offered on the Pluralsight platform. The course focuses on designing event-driven applications with the help of the Apache Kafka ecosystem. 

The learners will understand the basics of event-driven systems and learn to build a real-time event-driven system. In addition, the learners will discover various tools for integrating the processes. 

Finally, the learners will deep dive into the concept of streaming and processing data that arrives in the system. The course contents are:

• Experiencing The Impact of an Event-Driven Architecture
• Building the First Apache Kafka Application
• Communicating Messages Structure with AVRO and Schema Registry
• Building The First Streaming Application
• Building a Streaming Application with KSQL
• Transferring Data with Kafka Connect
• Integrating Applications with REST Proxy

Instructor: Bogdan Sucaciu

Level: Beginner

Duration: 2 hours and 27 minutes

User Review: 4.6/5

No. of Reviews: 122

Price: 10-Day Free Trial (Charges may apply after trial period)

10. Distributed Programming in Java by Rice University – Coursera

This course is offered on Coursera. The learners will begin with the fundamental concepts of distributed programming using Java. Next, the learners will understand using multiple nodes in a data center to increase throughput and reduce latency. 

In addition, the learners will delve into the popular distributed programming frameworks for Java programs such as Hadoop, Spark, Sockets, and Kafka. 

Additionally, the learners will understand different approaches for distribution with multithreading. Besides, the learners will become familiar with concepts on distributed servers, and use multiple servers to increase bandwidth with reduced latency. 

The learners will also understand the concepts of integrating multicore and distributed parallelism in a unified manner. 

The takeaways of the course include:

• In-depth understanding of distributed map-reduce programming in Java using distributed programming frameworks like Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka.
• Client-server programming using Java Socket and RMI interfaces.
• Message passing programming in Java
• Multithreading, Distributed actors, and reactive programming

The course curriculum includes:

• Introduction
• Distributed Map Reduce
• Client-Server Programming
• Talking to Two Sigma: Using it in the Field
• Message Passing
• Combining Distribution and Multithreading
• Parallel, Concurrent, and Distributed Programming using Java

Instructor: Vivek Sarkar

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 18 hours

User Review: 4.6/5

No. of Reviews: 447

Price: Free Enrollment (Additional charges for certification may apply)

Conclusion

In the digital era, gathering data and analyzing them in real-time has become essential for every industry. Therefore, real-time analytics has gained immense popularity in recent years. A significant transformation is observed in the form of big data analytics being undertaken as an integral part of businesses. Developers are integrating Kafka as it is a viable option for data integration and other essential features like scalability and data partitioning while performing with low latency and handling a large number of consumers. 

Kafka has also been famous for tasks like web activity tracking, log aggregations, and stream processing. With several benefits of Kafka, top companies like Netflix, LinkedIn, Spotify, Coursera, Adidas, Airbnb, Barclays, Mozilla, Oracle, and more are increasingly opting for Kafka for various services. Thus, the number of jobs listed each year increases, while talents with sufficient Kafka skills are lower than the demand. 

In addition, the recent reports by Talent.com provide insights into the salary trends of Kafka developer salary in the US in 2021. According to the report, the average salary is $119,000 whereas the most experienced workers are expected to have a salary of $146,250 a year.

Therefore, it is more apparent that Kafka developers are in high demand in the industry, and aspirants aiming for such positions must upskill themselves with some of the top online courses that build the hands-on experience and theoretical understanding to attain some of the top positions in the industry.