Avro

Avro is the default message serialization format used by Kafka. While it is language-neutral, it is best paired with Java and Kafka.

While it is very similar to protobuf and offers many of the same advantages, it also has some unique properties:

• Schema evolution

  • Reads and writes are tightly coupled with schemas which enables you to have granular control over how message envelopes evolve

• Dynamic typing

  • Along with static types, it is also possible to include untyped data

Choosing Avro for your message envelope is (probably) a good idea if:

• You are a Java and/or Kafka shop

• You are using Confluent's platform

• You need both static and dynamic types

Cons

• Avro is not as well supported as Protobuf

• Need schema to read/write data (might be a PRO in some cases)

Batch has full support for Avro - all fields in an Avro message are indexed and available for search and replay.