Apache SeaTunnel

Multimodal distributed data integration for massive-scale synchronization

Apache SeaTunnel is a high-performance, distributed data integration platform supporting 100+ connectors, CDC, batch-stream processing, and multimodal data including video, images, and binary files.

Overview

High-Performance Data Integration at Scale

Apache SeaTunnel is a distributed data integration platform engineered to synchronize vast amounts of data daily across diverse sources. Built for enterprises facing complex integration challenges, it supports over 100 connectors spanning databases, data warehouses, message queues, and cloud services.

Multimodal Capabilities

Unlike traditional ETL tools limited to structured data, SeaTunnel handles multimodal workloads including video, images, binary files, and unstructured text alongside conventional structured data. It supports real-time synchronization, change data capture (CDC), full database replication, and batch processing through a unified framework.

Flexible Deployment

SeaTunnel runs on multiple execution engines—its native Zeta Engine, Apache Flink, or Apache Spark—giving teams flexibility to leverage existing infrastructure. A distributed snapshot algorithm ensures data consistency, while JDBC multiplexing and log parsing optimize resource utilization during multi-table synchronization. The optional SeaTunnel Web project provides visual job management, scheduling, and monitoring for teams preferring low-code workflows. Trusted by organizations like Weibo, Tencent Cloud, and Sina, SeaTunnel delivers production-grade reliability under the Apache 2.0 license.

Highlights

100+ connectors with batch-stream integration and unified API

Multimodal support for video, images, binary files, and text data

Distributed snapshot algorithm ensuring cross-source data consistency

Multi-engine runtime: SeaTunnel Zeta, Apache Flink, Apache Spark

Pros

Extensive connector library covering diverse data sources and sinks
Resource-efficient JDBC multiplexing reduces connection overhead
Real-time monitoring with data quality checks prevents loss or duplication
Apache 2.0 license permits unrestricted commercial use

Considerations

Java-based architecture may require JVM tuning for optimal performance
Multimodal features require additional configuration and documentation review
Visual web interface is a separate sub-project requiring independent deployment
Learning curve for teams unfamiliar with distributed data processing concepts

Managed products teams compare with

When teams consider Apache SeaTunnel, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.

Airbyte

Open-source data integration engine for ELT pipelines across data sources

Azure Data Factory

Cloud-based data integration service to create, schedule, and orchestrate ETL/ELT data pipelines at scale

Fivetran

Managed ELT data pipelines into warehouses

Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

Enterprises synchronizing terabytes of data daily across heterogeneous systems
Teams needing CDC and real-time replication with data consistency guarantees
Organizations integrating multimodal data (video, images) alongside structured datasets
Companies seeking flexible deployment across Flink, Spark, or native engines

Not ideal when

Small-scale projects requiring simple single-source ETL without distributed processing
Teams lacking Java expertise or distributed systems operational experience
Use cases demanding sub-second latency for individual record processing
Organizations needing fully managed SaaS solutions without self-hosting

How teams use it

Real-Time CDC Replication

Capture database changes and replicate to data warehouses with consistency guarantees and minimal resource overhead

Full Database Synchronization

Migrate or replicate entire databases across cloud and on-premises environments using JDBC multiplexing

Multimodal Data Pipelines

Integrate video, images, and binary files alongside structured data for AI/ML training datasets

Batch-Stream Unified Workflows

Build pipelines handling both historical batch loads and real-time streaming with a single connector framework

Tech snapshot

Java99%

TypeScript1%

Shell1%

Batchfile1%

Python1%

JavaScript1%

Frequently asked questions

How do I install SeaTunnel?

Download SeaTunnel from the official website and follow the installation guide. Choose your runtime engine (Zeta, Flink, or Spark) and configure connectors via job definitions.

Can I use SeaTunnel for commercial purposes?

Yes, SeaTunnel is licensed under Apache 2.0, permitting unrestricted commercial use, modification, and distribution.

What execution engines does SeaTunnel support?

SeaTunnel runs on its native Zeta Engine, Apache Flink, and Apache Spark, allowing you to choose based on existing infrastructure and performance requirements.

Does SeaTunnel support multimodal data like images and video?

Yes, SeaTunnel integrates video, images, binary files, and unstructured text alongside structured data. Refer to the multimodal documentation for configuration details.

How does SeaTunnel ensure data consistency during synchronization?

SeaTunnel uses a distributed snapshot algorithm to maintain consistency across sources and sinks, with built-in monitoring to prevent data loss or duplication.

Project at a glance

Active

Visit site View repo

Stars: 9,063
Watchers: 9,063
Forks: 2,161

LicenseApache-2.0

Repo age8 years old

Last commit3 days ago

Primary languageJava

Last synced 12 hours ago