> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mariadb.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mariadb.com/docs/gridgain/gridgain-8/integrations/kafka/gridgain-vs-ignite-connector.md).

# GridGain vs. Ignite Kafka Connector

Compares the open source Apache Ignite Kafka Connector with the GridGain Kafka Connector feature by feature.

Open source Apache Ignite includes a different Ignite Kafka Connector implementation than GridGain. The table below compares Open Source Ignite and GridGain Kafka Connectors.

| Feature                                   | Apache Ignite Connector                                                                             | GridGain Connector                                                                                          |
| ----------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Scalability                               | <p><strong>Limited</strong><br>Source connector is not parallel.<br>Sink connector is parallel.</p> | <p>Source connector creates a task per cache.<br>Sink connector is parallel.</p>                            |
| At least once processing semantics        | <p><strong>NO</strong><br>Source data might be lost during connector restart or rebalancing.</p>    | <p><strong>YES</strong><br>Source connector can be configured to resume from the last committed offset.</p> |
| Exactly once processing semantics         | **NO**                                                                                              | **YES**                                                                                                     |
| Preserving source data schema             | **NO**                                                                                              | **YES**                                                                                                     |
| Handling multiple caches                  | **NO**                                                                                              | <p><strong>YES</strong><br>Connector can be configured to handle any number of caches.</p>                  |
| Dynamic Reconfiguration                   | **NO**                                                                                              | <p><strong>YES</strong><br>Source connector detects added or removed caches and re-configures itself.</p>   |
| Initial Data Load                         | **NO**                                                                                              | **YES**                                                                                                     |
| Handling data removals                    | **YES**                                                                                             | **YES**                                                                                                     |
| Serialization and Deserialization of data | **YES**                                                                                             | **YES**                                                                                                     |
| Filtering                                 | <p><strong>Limited</strong><br>Only source connector supports a filter.</p>                         | Both source and sink connectors support filters.                                                            |
| Transformations                           | Kafka SMTs                                                                                          | Kafka SMTs                                                                                                  |
| DevOps                                    | Some free-text error logging.                                                                       | Health Model defined.                                                                                       |
| Support                                   | Apache Ignite Community                                                                             | Supported by GridGain, certified by Confluent.                                                              |
| Packaging                                 | Uber JAR                                                                                            | Connector Package                                                                                           |
| Deployment                                | Plugin PATH on all Kafka Connect workers.                                                           | <p>Plugin PATH on all Kafka Connect workers.<br>CLASSPATH on all GridGain nodes.</p>                        |
| Kafka API Version                         | 0.10                                                                                                | 2.0                                                                                                         |
| Source API                                | Ignite events                                                                                       | Ignite continuous queries                                                                                   |
| Sink API                                  | Ignite data streamer                                                                                | Ignite data streamer                                                                                        |