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Debezium

debezium.io

Free plan WindowsLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 8.9 #2 of 32 in Database Replication Software

What it is

Debezium captures row-level database changes and delivers them to applications as events, so they can respond to inserts, updates, and deletes. Its connectors use database logs for low-delay capture without requiring changes to the data model, and can take initial or incremental snapshots, filter schemas, tables, and columns, and mask selected values. Listed databases include MongoDB, MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Db2, and Cassandra. Connectors for Vitess, Spanner, Informix, CockroachDB, YashanDB, Ingres, and Milvus are marked incubating and may change without backward compatibility. A common deployment uses Apache Kafka Connect; Debezium can also run through Debezium Server or as a library in JVM applications. Debezium Server can send serialized events to Amazon Kinesis, Google Cloud Pub/Sub, and Apache Pulsar. Ready-to-use transformations support routing, filtering, and event flattening. Debezium is free under the Apache Software License 2.0. Its quay.io container images are for testing and evaluation, not production.

Spec sheet

What it does
Debezium captures row-level database changes so applications can respond to inserts, updates, and deletes as events.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Purpose
Debezium is an open source distributed platform for change data capture that streams database row changes to applications.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Intended users
The project describes itself as an open-source platform and welcomes community participation in using, discussing, and developing it.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Deployment
The most common deployment uses Apache Kafka Connect; Debezium can also be embedded in JVM applications or run through Debezium Server.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Support
The project points users to its documentation, user chat room, and Google Group for questions.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
License
All Debezium project code is licensed under the Apache License 2.0.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
CDC approach
Its source connectors use database features for log-based change data capture, which can capture deletes without requiring changes to the data model.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Change capture
Its log-based CDC captures inserts, updates, and deletes with low delay, without requiring changes to the data model.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Community support
The project points users to documentation, a Zulip chat room, and a Google Group for questions.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Data masking
Debezium can mask values in specified columns, including columns containing sensitive data.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Database connectors
The connector list includes MongoDB, MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Db2, and Cassandra, as well as several connectors marked incubating.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Database integrations
Source connectors are listed for MongoDB, MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, Db2, and Cassandra, among others.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Deployment limit
The installation page lists Kafka Connect connector deployment and says the Debezium Operator, Server, and CLI installation methods are coming soon.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Embedded reliability
The installation documentation says embedded connectors are lighter weight without Kafka services, but are less fault tolerant because the application must manage state normally kept in Kafka logs.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Embedded use
Debezium connectors can be embedded as a library in custom JVM-based applications.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Event delivery
Debezium records changes in commit order and is designed to resume monitoring after applications or services are unavailable.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Event destinations
Debezium Server can send serialized change events to messaging systems including Amazon Kinesis, Google Cloud Pub/Sub, and Apache Pulsar.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Incubating feature caveat
The documentation says embedding a connector library removes the need for Kafka services but is less fault tolerant because the application must manage state normally kept in Kafka's distributed replicated logs.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Installation caveat
The documentation says Debezium container images from quay.io are for testing and evaluation and are not intended for production because they do not undergo rigorous testing or security analysis.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Message transformations
Ready-to-use transformations support message routing, filtering, event flattening, and other operations.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Preview connectors
The site marks Vitess, Spanner, Informix, CockroachDB, YashanDB, Ingres, and Milvus connectors as incubating and says they may change without backward compatibility.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Sensitive data
Connectors can mask values from selected columns that contain sensitive data.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Snapshots and filters
Connectors can take initial or incremental snapshots and filter captured schemas, tables, and columns.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io
Streaming integrations
Debezium commonly runs with Apache Kafka Connect, and Debezium Server can send events to systems including Amazon Kinesis, Google Cloud Pub/Sub, and Apache Pulsar.Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io

Plans and prices

Debezium Free Open-source distributed change data capture platform · Apache License 2.0 Read 7 Oct 2026 · debezium.io

Every Debezium plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Captures inserts, updates, and deletes from database logs.
  • Supports initial and incremental snapshots.
  • Can filter captured data and mask selected values.
  • Offers Kafka Connect, Server, and JVM embedding options.
  • Apache Software License 2.0; free plan listed.

Limits

  • Incubating connectors may change without backward compatibility.
  • quay.io images are not intended for production.
  • Embedded connectors are less fault tolerant.
  • Operator, Server, and CLI installation methods are listed as coming soon.

Who it suits

It suits teams building self-hosted change-data-capture workflows across supported databases and event destinations. Teams embedding connectors in JVM applications should account for the application's responsibility for state normally held in Kafka logs.

Verdict

Debezium specifies a broad set of capture, filtering, masking, and delivery options. Check connector maturity and deployment caveats before choosing an installation path.

Where Specifiction places it

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