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Pathway
Unified Python framework for real‑time, batch, and LLM pipelines
Pathway lets Python developers build scalable batch and streaming pipelines, add AI/LLM steps, and deploy via Docker or Kubernetes, leveraging a high‑performance Rust engine.
Overview
Highlights
Pythonic API backed by a Rust differential dataflow engine
Unified batch‑and‑stream processing with stateful transforms
300+ connectors via Airbyte plus native Kafka, PostgreSQL, GDrive, SharePoint
Built‑in LLM/RAG utilities and in‑memory vector index integration
Pros
- High throughput thanks to Rust engine
- Same code runs in development, CI, and production
- Extensive connector ecosystem
- Native support for LLM and RAG workflows
Considerations
- Officially supports only macOS and Linux (Windows needs VM)
- Enterprise‑only exactly‑once consistency
- Requires Python 3.10+
- Learning curve around differential dataflow concepts
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Fit guide
Great for
- Data teams building real‑time analytics pipelines
- ML engineers integrating LLMs with live data
- Organizations deploying pipelines on Docker/Kubernetes
- Projects needing both batch and streaming with a single codebase
Not ideal when
- Simple one‑off scripts without performance constraints
- Windows‑only environments without VM access
- Use cases demanding built‑in GUI ETL design
- Projects that require out‑of‑the‑box exactly‑once guarantees without enterprise license
How teams use it
Real‑time ETL from Kafka to PostgreSQL
Continuously ingest Kafka events, transform, and upsert into PostgreSQL with at‑least‑once guarantees.
Event‑driven alerting pipeline
Detect threshold breaches in streaming data and push alerts to Slack or email in seconds.
Adaptive RAG with live document updates
Index new documents on the fly and serve up‑to‑date answers via LLM without re‑training.
Batch CSV processing with incremental updates
Process large CSV dumps, then apply incremental changes as new rows arrive, keeping results current.
Tech snapshot
Python67%
Rust33%
Shell1%
Frequently asked questions
How do I install Pathway?
Run `pip install -U pathway` on Python 3.10+; Docker images are also provided.
Which operating systems are supported?
Official binaries run on macOS and Linux; Windows users can run Pathway inside a virtual machine.
What consistency guarantees does Pathway provide?
The free version offers at‑least‑once processing; the enterprise edition adds exactly‑once guarantees.
Can I add a connector for a data source not listed?
Yes, you can build a custom Python connector or use the Airbyte connector to access over 300 sources.
How does scaling work in Kubernetes?
Package your pipeline in the provided Docker image and deploy multiple replicas; the Rust engine handles multithreading and distributed execution.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 57,749
- Watchers
- 57,749
- Forks
- 1,548
Repo age3 years old
Last commityesterday
Primary languagePython
Last synced yesterday