Kafka is an open-source programming platform developed by the Apache Foundation. It's programmed in Scala and Java. The platform is mostly used in parallel computing and distributed computing, with several computers working on different parts of big data analysis.

What does learning Kafka enable me to do next?

Learning Kafka enables you to write parallel programs in order to make applications run faster and to analyze large data sets. Then, you can take your computer science skills deeper by learning concurrent and distributed programming. Or, you can use your big data analytics skills with Kafka to analyze data and create reports for users. Another next step would be to learn how to manage data sets for better integration and processing.

What are typical careers that use Kafka?

Typical careers that use Kafka are those in parallel computing, functional programming, big data analytics, and other aspects of computer science. The increasing use of machine learning to process big data calls for greater experience with platforms like Kafka. The analytics are particularly useful in biomedical research and in financial analysis. More and more industries are finding ways to pull out information from large sets of data. Also, the skills learned with Kafka can be applied to other big data platforms, such as Google Cloud. Those who will be moving into leadership positions in organizations with large computing environments will also need to be familiar with the relevant platforms, including Kafka.

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn Kafka?

Kafka requires knowledge of Java, and you can find courses on Coursera to get you started with that. Depending on your interests, you can learn Kafka as part of courses covering big data, distributed computing, machine learning, or data analytics. You can also concentrate on related platforms like Scala or TensorFlow if needed for the computing environment where you work.

What are the benefits of taking an online Kafka course?

Online Kafka courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Kafka skills. Choose from a wide range of Kafka courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Kafka courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Kafka, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Kafka Courses & Certificates [2025]

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Explore the Kafka Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
LearnKartS
Apache Kafka
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, Prometheus (Software), Data Pipelines, Distributed Computing, Real Time Data, Data Processing, Security Controls, Configuration Management, Application Performance Management, Performance Tuning, Encryption, Authorization (Computing), Authentications, Data Storage Technologies, Server Administration, Network Monitoring, File Management
3.9
Rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars
41 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
ETL and Data Pipelines with Shell, Airflow and Kafka
Skills you'll gain: Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Data Warehousing, Data Transformation, Data Migration, Web Scraping, Data Integration, Shell Script, Data Processing, Data Mart, Unix Shell, Big Data, Performance Tuning, Scalability, Command-Line Interface
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
432 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
LearnKartS
Kafka Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Server Administration
3.9
Rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars
34 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Packt
Apache Kafka Series - Learn Apache Kafka for Beginners v3
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Command-Line Interface, Apache, Data Pipelines, Java, Enterprise Application Management, Real Time Data, Performance Tuning, Configuration Management
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 3 - 6 Months
Google Cloud
Creating a Streaming Data Pipeline With Apache Kafka
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Data Pipelines, Google Cloud Platform, Java, Public Cloud, Cloud API, Network Analysis
3.8
Rating, 3.8 out of 5 stars
27 reviews
Beginner · Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
LearnKartS
Kafka Architecture and Internals
Skills you'll gain: Data Storage Technologies, Network Monitoring, File Management
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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Status: New
Status: Free Trial
Coursera Instructor Network
Building Smarter Data Pipelines: SQL, Spark, Kafka & GenAI
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Data Warehousing, Extract, Transform, Load, Microsoft SQL Servers, Snowflake Schema, Star Schema, Performance Tuning, Data Pipelines, Cloud Computing Architecture, Business Intelligence, Real Time Data, Apache Hadoop, Data Modeling, Data Quality, Responsible AI, Apache Spark, SQL, Generative AI, Data Governance, Quality Management
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
81 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Architect with SQL, Spark & Kafka
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, SQL, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Security, Linux Commands, Data Migration, Database Design, Data Governance, MySQL, Database Administration, Apache Spark, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Data Store, Data Architecture
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
7.1K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Coursera Instructor Network
Apache Kafka - An Introduction
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Real Time Data, Data Pipelines, Data Processing, Operational Databases, System Monitoring, Scalability, Performance Tuning
3.4
Rating, 3.4 out of 5 stars
10 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Rice University
Parallel, Concurrent, and Distributed Programming in Java
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Apache Spark, Apache Hadoop, Distributed Computing, Dataflow, Java Programming, Java, Middleware, Scala Programming, Data Structures, System Programming, Programming Principles, Servers, Application Frameworks, Debugging, Algorithms, Performance Tuning, Network Protocols, Computer Science
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.6K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Packt
Kafka Streams API for Developers Using Java/Spring Boot 3.X
Skills you'll gain: Apache Kafka, Spring Boot, Real Time Data, Java, Unit Testing, Restful API, JSON, Integration Testing, Distributed Computing, Scalability, Debugging
Intermediate · Course · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Warehouse Engineer
Skills you'll gain: Data Warehousing, SQL, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Linux Commands, Database Design, IBM Cognos Analytics, MySQL, Database Administration, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Store, IBM DB2, Data Visualization, Relational Databases, Dashboard
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.5K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Kafka learners also search

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In summary, here are 10 of our most popular kafka courses

Apache Kafka: LearnKartS
ETL and Data Pipelines with Shell, Airflow and Kafka: IBM
Kafka Fundamentals: LearnKartS
Apache Kafka Series - Learn Apache Kafka for Beginners v3: Packt
Creating a Streaming Data Pipeline With Apache Kafka: Google Cloud
Kafka Architecture and Internals: LearnKartS
Building Smarter Data Pipelines: SQL, Spark, Kafka & GenAI: Coursera Instructor Network
IBM Data Architect with SQL, Spark & Kafka: IBM
Apache Kafka - An Introduction: Coursera Instructor Network
Parallel, Concurrent, and Distributed Programming in Java: Rice University

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