About
Overview
Kafka Streams Topology Design (KSTD) is an open standard dedicated to the clear and effective description and visualisation of Kafka Stream topologies.
The KSTD standard offers clear guidelines and best practices for structuring topologies, emphasizing the importance of visualizing ideas and creating detailed designs. It ensures that each processing step’s responsibilities are well-defined and understood, reducing the risks associated with ambiguous or incomplete designs.
One of the key tools provided by KSTD is the Excalidraw Library, a comprehensive component library designed for Excalidraw. This library offers full coverage of the Kafka Streams DSL, along with essential infrastructure and architectural building blocks, making it easier to create clear, visual representations of their stream processing applications.
The library is licensed under GPL-3.0, ensuring it remains open and accessible to the Kafka Streams community.
The Challenge
In 2024, more than six years after Kafka Streams 1.0 was released, there are no established standards and tools for designing and visually representing stream processing applications.
Typically found are simple component integration diagrams or visuals derived from flowcharts, often created using general-purpose diagramming tools.
Background
Created by Hartmut Armbruster, a seasoned software developer and architect, KSTD is a project born from real-world experience and a deep understanding of the challenges involved in stream processing application design.
Company Information
Thriving.dev
Hartmut Armbruster
Am Werksgarten 4
12555 Berlin
Germany