GraalVM Native Image is a technology to compile Java code ahead-of-time to a standalone executable. With KIP-974, we aim to build native executable of Apache Kafka and deliver a very lean official Docker Image.
We’ll delve into the intricacies of constructing the Apache Kafka Native Executable, unlocking benefits like reduced memory footprint, faster startup times, and an enhanced developer experience. Explore our strategies for handling dynamic features like JAVA reflection, generating reflection metadata configs for GraalVM native-image, and ensuring the reliability of the Apache Kafka Native Executable through system tests.
We’ll also assess the performance disparities in Kafka server startup time, CPU usage and memory footprint between the Native Executable and its JVM counterpart.
We’ll journey through the dockerisation of the Apache Kafka Native Executable and its utility as a Kafka test-container and compare this docker image with other commonly used Apache Kafka Docker images.
The session will uncover the challenges faced during the development of the Apache Kafka Native Executable, along with valuable insights applicable to converting large-scale JVM applications, also exploring the limitations and maintenance challenges.