Kafka for Developers Practice Exam
Kafka for Developers Practice Exam
About Kafka for Developers Exam
Kafka is a powerful event-streaming platform that helps applications communicate efficiently through messages. However, for seamless data exchange, it is essential to use a standardized format for messages. This course introduces Apache AVRO, a widely used data serialization framework, and its role in Kafka messaging. It also covers how AVRO works with Schema Registry, ensuring smooth data evolution without breaking applications. By learning these concepts, developers can design robust, scalable, and future-proof messaging systems.
Skills Required
- Proficiency in Java programming
- Familiarity with Kafka Producers and Consumers
- Basic understanding of data serialization
- Knowledge of Docker and command-line interfaces (CLI)
- Experience with Spring Boot (optional but recommended)
Knowledge Area
- Data Serialization and its importance in messaging systems
- AVRO Schema Design and how it ensures compatibility
- Kafka Producers and Consumers using AVRO
- Schema Registry for enforcing and evolving data contracts
- Spring Boot Integration for building scalable Kafka applications
- Real-world application development using AVRO and Kafka
Who should take This Course?
This course is designed for Java developers who want to improve their knowledge of data serialization and Kafka messaging systems. It is particularly useful for:
- Software Engineers working with Kafka and event-driven architecture
- Developers who need to manage structured message exchange
- Data Engineers handling real-time data pipelines
- Developers interested in Schema Registry and data contract enforcement
Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of Java and Kafka Producers is required.
Course Content Overview
The Kafka for Developers Exam covers the following topics -
Domain 1. Introduction and Getting Started
- Overview of the course and key learning objectives
- Prerequisites for taking the course
Domain 2. Understanding Data Contracts and Serialization in Kafka
- Introduction to data contracts in Kafka
- Exploring different serialization formats used in Kafka
Domain 3. Introduction to AVRO – Why It Matters?
- Understanding AVRO and its significance in data serialization
- Creating a basic AVRO schema
Domain 4. Setting Up Kafka Locally Using Docker
- Installing Kafka and Zookeeper using Docker Compose
- Sending and receiving messages using Kafka Producer and Consumer CLI
- Producing and consuming messages using AVRO console tools
Domain 5. Greeting App – Setting Up AVRO Project (Gradle)
- Creating a base project for the Greeting App
- Generating Java classes from AVRO schema using Gradle
Domain 6. Greeting App – Setting Up AVRO Project (Maven)
- Creating a base project using Maven
- Generating Java classes from AVRO schema with Maven
Domain 7. Building AVRO Producer and Consumer in Java
- Implementing Kafka Producer using AVRO
- Implementing Kafka Consumer using AVRO
Domain 8. Real-World Project: Coffee Shop Order Service with AVRO
- Overview of the Coffee Shop Order Service
- Project setup using Gradle and Maven
- Defining a schema for coffee orders using AVRO
- Generating Java classes from AVRO schema using Gradle and Maven
- Developing a Kafka Producer for coffee orders
- Developing a Kafka Consumer for coffee orders
Domain 9. Understanding Logical Schema Types in AVRO
- Introduction to logical data types in AVRO
- Adding timestamp and decimal types to the Coffee Order schema
- Using UUID as a unique key for coffee orders
- Implementing the date logical type
Domain 10. Exploring AVRO Records – What Happens Internally?
- A detailed look at the structure of an AVRO record
Domain 11. Schema Evolution in AVRO – Issues Without Schema Registry
- Understanding how schema changes affect consumers
- Exploring issues that arise when schema evolution is not managed properly
Domain 12. Introduction to Schema Registry
- What is a Schema Registry and why is it important?
- Publishing and consuming records using Schema Registry
- Understanding Schema Registry internals and using REST API to interact with it
- Publishing and consuming keys as AVRO records
Domain 13. Handling Data Evolution with Schema Registry
- Understanding data evolution and schema changes
- Updating code to use a local Maven repository (Gradle and Maven)
- Backward Compatibility: Deleting fields in the schema
- Forward Compatibility: Adding new fields in the schema
- Full Compatibility: Adding or deleting optional fields
- No Compatibility: Changing field names
Domain 14. Understanding Schema Naming Strategies
- Different naming strategies in Schema Registry
- Creating a Coffee Order Update event schema
- Producing and consuming update events using RecordNameStrategy
Domain 15. Building a Complete Coffee Order Service with Spring Boot and Schema Registry
- Overview of the Spring Boot application
- Setting up the project with Gradle and Maven
- Designing DTOs (Data Transfer Objects) for Coffee Order Service
- Creating a POST endpoint to accept coffee orders
- Implementing a service layer to convert DTOs into AVRO objects
- Configuring Kafka Producer properties
- Developing a Kafka Producer for publishing coffee orders
- Developing a Kafka Consumer for processing coffee orders
- Creating a PUT endpoint for updating coffee orders by ID
