Posted on Aug 16

Overview of Apache Thrift

Before writing about the topic, let’s provide a brief history of Apache Thrift. In 2006, Facebook initially developed it to enable efficient and dependable communication between languages. It later metamorphosed into an open-source project under the Apache Software Foundation in 2007. Over time, it has grown to support various programming languages, projects, and platforms.

Apache Thrift remains the foundation that builds cross-language services. Across a broad range of programming languages, developers implement it to launch services that function flawlessly. It allows a stack of software with a code generation engine that creates interfaces with C++, Java, PHP, Python, JavaScript, NodeJS and C#, among others. In layman terms, it is responsible for receiving HTTP requests from visitors and transmitting the requested information back to the visitors in web page forms.

Functions of Apache Thrift

Apache Functions is open-source web software, its key role is to deliver web content over the internet. Over here are its functions:

Address Clients Request: Apache listens for incoming requests on distinct specialized network ports; port 80 is for HTTP. Port 443 is for HTTPS. Ergo, picture a scenario where you use a website’s URL on your browser. It forwards an HTTP request to the server, and if it runs on Apache, it accepts this request.
Handle the Requests: Based on the requests of users, Apache chooses how to handle the request. It reads the request to determine what is being asked for, like an image, a file, or a web page.
Security: It allows administrators to establish guidelines on who has access to certain parts of the server. It can be done through IP restrictions, password protection, or other helpful security measures.
Logging: Apache retains records of all requests made on that server; it could be an IP address. These records are instrumental in monitoring traffic and troubleshooting issues, as well as reviewing the server’s performance.

Why Apache Thrift is Used

It is a versatile framework that supports cross-language development. In addition, over here are some reasons to use Apache:
Compatible with Cross-Language: It supports many language programs, like Java and C++. By operating thrift, its interface is defined, and you may move on to generate codes in multiple languages.
Consistency: Apache thrift ensures your data structures and interface are consistent across all implementations and languages.
Efficiency: It uses a binary serialization format that is more compact and swifter. It reduces the overhead in communication and makes it well suited for high-performance systems.

Career Paths in Apache Thrift

Let’s see what career options Apache thrift offers:

Software Engineer: They develop software applications that use Apache Trest for data serialization and cross-language communication. They should be well-versed in programming languages like C++ and Java, among others.

Backend Developer: They develop and maintain back-end services with Apache Thrift, ensuring efficient exchange of data and processing. One must be proficient with back-end languages like C++ and Go and have experience with RPC services.

Full-Stack Developer: People in this field develop both the clients’ and server sides of a webpage or application. They use Apache Thrift to enable smooth communication between numerous components. To pursue a career as a full-stack developer, one must be adaptable in front-end and back-end development and have knowledge of multiple programming languages.

DevOps Engineer: Their role is to utilize and manage systems using Apache Thrifts, and ensure efficient and reliable communication. One must be knowledgeable about Thrift configurations, monitoring, and optimizing Thrift-based services.

Fundamentally, being knowledgeable with or skilled in Apache Thrift can open up an extensive range of tech positions, particularly in businesses that depend on multilingual settings and distributed systems. To more significantly enhance your worth as a techie, you must become proficient in Apache Thrift if your focus is on programming, data engineering or architecture.

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