The many use cases of Apache Kafka®: When to use & not use it

Apache Kafka, an open-source distributed platform designed to handle streaming data, has seen many different use cases across various sectors. It allows users to store data and broadcast events in real-time, acting as both a message broker and a storage unit. Companies use Kafka in applications such as activity tracking, real-time data processing, messaging, operational metrics/KPIs, and log aggregation. Some popular companies using Kafka include LinkedIn, Uber, Netflix, ING, Paypal, JPMorgan Chase, and more. The best use cases for Kafka are in financial services, AdTech, e-commerce, telecommunications, healthcare, and gaming industries. However, Kafka is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it should be avoided when handling small user bases, there is no flexibility for communication delays or latency spikes, and working with large-scale legacy systems.