Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

Apache AsterixDB

asterixdb.apache.org

Free plan WebmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
Visit asterixdb.apache.org
Spec score 8.3 #7 of 28 in Document Databases

What it is

Apache AsterixDB is a free, open source, self-managed Big Data Management System for ingesting, storing, indexing, querying and analyzing data. Its Asterix Data Model extends JSON with object-database concepts, while SQL++ and AQL provide declarative queries for semistructured information. Partitioned LSM-based storage supports B+ tree, R-tree and inverted keyword secondary indexes. External datasets can be queried without loading everything into AsterixDB, using adapters for HDFS and local filesystems. Continuous feeds can ingest sources such as Twitter, RSS and sockets. The HTTP query API accepts SQL++ and can return immediate, deferred or asynchronous results. Installation options include NCService, Ansible and Amazon Web Services. The Hyracks parallel runtime has been scale-tested on up to 1000+ cores and 500+ disks. Documentation describes basic transactional concurrency and recovery, and identifies web data warehousing and social data analysis as suitable uses.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Apache AsterixDB is a scalable, open source Big Data Management System for ingesting, storing, indexing, querying, and analyzing data.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Audience
The documentation says AsterixDB is well suited to web data warehousing and social data storage and analysis.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Deployment
The documentation provides installation options using NCService, Ansible, and Amazon Web Services.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Support
The project directs users to its users mailing list for AsterixDB questions and also lists an IRC channel where developers may be contacted.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Founded
2009Read 28 Sep 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
AWS requirements
The AWS installation instructions list Linux and macOS as supported client operating systems and Linux for AWS instances.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Data model
Its semistructured Asterix Data Model extends JSON with object database ideas.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
External data
External datasets can be queried without loading all data into AsterixDB, with built-in adapters for HDFS and local filesystems.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
HTTP API
The HTTP query API accepts SQL++ statements and supports immediate, deferred, and asynchronous result delivery.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Query languages
The documentation describes SQL++ and AQL as declarative query languages for semistructured data.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Scale
The project documentation says its Hyracks parallel runtime query engine has been scale-tested on up to 1000+ cores and 500+ disks.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Storage and indexes
AsterixDB uses partitioned LSM-based native storage and supports B+ tree, R-tree, and inverted keyword secondary indexes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Streaming ingestion
Data feeds can continuously ingest external data, and built-in adapters include Twitter, RSS, and socket sources.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org
Transactions
The documentation describes basic transactional concurrency and recovery capabilities akin to those of a NoSQL store.Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org

Plans and prices

Apache AsterixDB Free Open source Big Data Management System · self-managed cluster Read 9 Oct 2026 · asterixdb.apache.org

Every Apache AsterixDB plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Open source and free
  • SQL++ and AQL query languages
  • Queries external data without full loading
  • Continuous feed ingestion
  • Multiple secondary index types

Limits

  • Requires self-managed deployment
  • Operational setup is user-managed
  • Transactional capabilities are described as basic
  • Support relies on mailing list and IRC

Who it suits

AsterixDB suits teams building self-hosted web data warehouses or social-data analysis systems. It is aimed at users comfortable managing clusters and working with semistructured data.

Verdict

AsterixDB offers a broad open-source stack for semistructured data, external sources and parallel queries. Its self-hosted model and documented operational requirements make cluster administration part of using it.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to Apache AsterixDBAll alternatives →