Cloudera Docs

Apache NiFi and NiFi in Cloudera Flow Management

NiFi 2 marks a major version of Apache NiFi, introducing several exciting new features, including a powerful Python API for developing native NiFi components using Python. While this version brings significant enhancements, the transition from NiFi 1.x to NiFi 2.x comes with numerous breaking changes, potentially making the upgrade process complex and challenging.

Cloudera has made the decision to move a large number of components downstream that were removed from the open-source Apache NiFi project. These changes aim to provide better support for Cloudera customers by aligning with specific Cloudera technologies and minimizing disruptive changes.

For example:
  • Hive components:

    NiFi in Cloudera Flow Management includes Hive components built against Cloudera’s version of Hive, which has diverged from Apache Hive, ensuring compatibility with Cloudera’s ecosystem.

  • Kafka components:

    Cloudera has retained Kafka 2.6 components in Cloudera Flow Management to facilitate smoother transitions from legacy Kafka components to the new Kafka architecture based on controller services, reducing the risk of breaking changes.