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Apache Cassandra
Apache Cassandra · Wilmington, Delaware · founded 2008
What it is
Apache Cassandra is an open-source distributed NoSQL database for mission-critical data and large active datasets. Its masterless design gives every node the same functionality. The project says read and write throughput can grow linearly as machines are added, without downtime or application interruption. Cassandra can run on premises, with one cloud provider, across multiple providers or in a combination of these environments. It supports replication across multiple data centers and configurable consistency levels for queries. Cassandra supports CQL, transactions and horizontal scaling. The project lists audit logging for DML, DDL and DCL activity, along with fqltool for capturing and replaying production workloads. Its ecosystem includes connectors and tools for Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, Apache Spark and Kubernetes. Drivers are listed for Java, Go, Python and Node.js. Downloads include tarballs and packages, with Debian and RPM installation guidance. Cassandra is free and self-managed. The project identifies version 5.0 as the latest GA release and says it is maintained until the 8.0 release. The Cassandra community does not support the third-party tools and services listed on the ecosystem page.
For and against
For
- Free, open-source distributed database.
- Masterless design gives nodes equal functionality.
- Replication supports multiple data centers.
- Tunable query consistency levels.
- Drivers listed for four programming languages.
Against
- Self-managed deployment.
- Community does not support listed third-party tools and services.
- Version 5.0 maintenance ends at the 8.0 release.
The verdict
Cassandra offers a self-managed, distributed database with multi-data-center replication and tunable consistency. Teams should account for operating it themselves and distinguish the project from third-party ecosystem support.
Who it suits
Cassandra suits teams managing large active datasets across on-premises or cloud environments. It is self-managed, so users should be prepared to handle deployment and operations.
Plans and prices
Apache Cassandra
Open-source database · self-hosted
Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
On the record
- Architecture
- Cassandra has a masterless architecture in which every node can provide the same functionality.cassandra.apache.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Audit logging
- The project says audit logging records DML, DDL and DCL activity with limited workload impact.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Caching and indexes
- G2 describes built-in caching, denormalization support, materialized views and column indexes in Cassandra's data model.g2.com · read 14 Oct 2026
- Cassandra Query Language
- CQL is an SQL-like language for defining schema and accessing data, with keyspaces, tables, rows and columns.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Client drivers
- Official downloads list Java, Go, Python, Node.js and other language drivers, with Java, Go and Node.js release artifacts linked.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Community support
- The repository directs users to ASF Slack, user and developer mailing lists, community pages and contribution documentation.github.com · read 14 Oct 2026
- Company facts
- LinkedIn lists ASF headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, founded in 1999, with a stated company size of 5,001–10,000 employees.linkedin.com · read 14 Oct 2026
- Consistency model
- Cassandra prioritizes availability and partition tolerance, normally providing eventual consistency while offering linearizable lightweight transactions through Paxos.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- Cassandra can run on premises, with one cloud provider, across multiple cloud providers, or in a combination of these environments.cassandra.apache.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Developer documentation
- The documentation covers getting started, architecture, data modeling, CQL, configuration, operations, tools, vector search, troubleshooting and native protocols.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Drivers
- The download page lists Cassandra drivers for Java, Go, Python, and Node.js.cassandra.apache.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Fault tolerance
- Cassandra uses identical nodes without single points of failure and supports operation through datacenter outages.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The project provides Cassandra downloads as tarballs and packages, and documents Debian and RPM installation.cassandra.apache.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Installation options
- Official installation methods include Docker, tarball binaries, Debian packages and RPM/YUM packages.cassandra.apache.org · read 14 Oct 2026
- Integration listings
- GetApp lists 22 integrations, including Datadog, New Relic, DbVisualizer, ClicData, Grafana and Sematext Cloud.getapp.com · read 14 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The ecosystem page lists connectors and tools for Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, Apache Spark, and Kubernetes.cassandra.apache.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Intended use
- The project describes Cassandra as a platform for mission-critical data and large active datasets.cassandra.apache.org · read 30 Sep 2026
- Java SDK
- The Java driver is a tunable client library using Cassandra's binary protocol and CQL v3.github.com · read 14 Oct 2026
