Apache Calcite vs Presto: What are the differences?

Introduction

Apache Calcite and Presto are both popular open-source distributed query engines used for big data processing. While they share some similarities, there are several key differences between the two.

1. Architecture and Ecosystem: Apache Calcite acts as a flexible SQL parsing, optimization, and execution framework, allowing integration with various data management systems, whereas Presto is a distributed SQL query engine designed for interactive analytics. Calcite focuses on providing a pluggable architecture, while Presto takes a more monolithic approach with its own custom-built execution engine.

2. Query Optimization: Apache Calcite includes a powerful cost-based query optimizer that leverages statistical information about data to generate optimal query plans. This optimizer applies various optimization techniques, such as predicate pushdown, join reordering, and common subexpression elimination. On the other hand, Presto's query optimization is primarily rule-based, relying on a set of predefined rules to transform and optimize queries.

3. Data Connector Support: Apache Calcite offers a wide range of connectors and adapters for seamless integration with various data sources, such as relational databases, file systems, and streaming platforms. These connectors provide support for different data formats, data access patterns, and optimizations specific to each data source. Presto also supports multiple data connectors, but its connector ecosystem is not as extensive as Calcite's.

4. Query Language Support: Apache Calcite supports standard SQL with extensions, allowing users to interact with data using a familiar query language. It also provides a rich set of SQL parsing and validation capabilities. Presto, on the other hand, supports a similar SQL syntax as Calcite, but with some differences in features and query syntax due to its custom-built execution engine and optimization rules.

5. Performance: While both Apache Calcite and Presto are designed for high-performance query execution, there are differences in their underlying execution models and optimizations. Calcite's pluggable architecture allows for fine-tuning performance by selecting specific components and optimizations tailored to the data source. Presto's monolithic architecture provides a more streamlined execution process but may have limitations in certain scenarios.

6. Community and Adoption: Apache Calcite has been actively developed and maintained by a large community of contributors. It is widely adopted by various projects and frameworks, making it a mature and battle-tested option for integrating SQL query capabilities. Presto, while having a smaller community compared to Calcite, is still widely used and has gained significant adoption in organizations looking for a fast and scalable SQL query engine.

In summary, Apache Calcite and Presto differ in their architecture, query optimization strategies, data connector support, query language features, performance characteristics, and community adoption. Understanding these key differences is crucial for choosing the right query engine to meet specific big data processing requirements.