ETL stands for Extract, Transform, and Load, and the acronym is an umbrella term for the process of collecting, transforming, and storing data at a specified location to accomplish a business goal. The process is accomplished using specially designed ETL tools. Depending on the volume and complexity of data and the number of queries required, enterprises can either purchase them or use open-source ETL tools. But first, it is necessary to know what ETL tools do.
Extract: In the first data processing step, the ETL tools “extract” or collect data from the desired location. The tools also recognize the data storing technique, security controls and then issue queries to read and see if there has been a change since the last extractions.
Transform: ETL tools alter the extracted data to make it appropriate for the target location where it will be loaded. The tools may change certain information in table cells, add/delete a few rows/columns to maintain consistency, and interact with different applications to do so, depending on the queries.
Load: After transforming the data, the ETL tool loads it in the desired location. Most of the time, the location is a data lake or a warehouse for analysis. The ETL also optimizes the loading process for maximum efficiency, bulk loading, and minimum loading time.
This article enlists some of the best open-source ETL tools.
Top 10 Open-source ETL tools
Listed below are some of the most useful opensource ETL tools, have a look.
- Jaspersoft ETL
Jaspersoft ETL is a powerful, open-source, and versatile tool powered by Talend. The tool comes under the umbrella company TIBCO’s product portfolio and is specially designed for seamless data integration with volumes of complex data. Developers can graphically plan, schedule, and manage data workflows and transformations to load any target location, like Operational Data Store (ODS), Data Mart, or Data Warehouse. Once the data is loaded, it can be used for centralized reporting and advanced analytics. Jaspersoft ETL also offers a Community Edition with over 500 connectors and components version control and an Enterprise Edition with embeddable web reporting and self-service BI tools.
- CloverDX (CloverETL)
CloverETL was the first of many open-source ETL tools developed when data warehousing started gaining momentum. Since then, CloverETL has dramatically improved as data has become progressively complex. The company currently offers a global service, a flexible data integration platform, and powerful support and services teams that actively aid enterprises in their data operations. Over the years, the company has proceeded to CloverDX, an entire “Data Experience,” with a holistic approach and flexibility. With CloverDX, enterprises can leverage multiple data management software while automating the entire ETL process. Nearly every data source or output can be connected using CloverDX. Additionally, it breaks down data silos, prevents vendor lock-in, and can customize connections specific to your business requirements.
- Apache NiFi
Next on our list of opensource ETL tools is Apache NiFi, a robust and powerful ETL tool specially developed to upvote and seamlessly leverage the host system’s capabilities. It helps process, distribute, route, transform, and mediate system data. NiFi leverages a web-based user interface that allows users to switch between design, control, feedback, and monitoring. NiFi can establish dataflows both visually and in real-time. Any changes you make to the data flow take effect right away.
Additionally, it has an extensive configuration with low latency, runtime, dynamic prioritization, and back pressure control for enhanced efficiency. These configurations can be customized and extended to multi-tenant authorization, standard protocols, and strategies.
- Scriptella ETL
Scriptella is yet another ETL and script execution tool available as an open-source tool. Launched by Apache, the tool is scripted in Java and can be used for executing scripts written in JavaScript, JEXL, Velocity, and many more. Unlike other opensource ETL tools, Scriptella is compatible with all cross-database ETL operations and provides a developer-friendly experience as it is interoperable with LDAP, JDBC, XML, etc. Unlike many other ETL tools, no prior knowledge of SQL (or any other extensive programming language) is required for basic ETL operations, making it very convenient for beginner and intermediate-level developers.
- Jedox ETL
While all other opensource ETL tools focus on accomplishing the process, the top-of-the-line Jedox ETL focuses on strategizing, investigating, covering, and monitoring performance during extraction, transformation, and loading. With its powerful data integration and preparation tool, developers can import and extract vast amounts of data from any source. Jedox also provides a user-friendly web-based interface for visual data modeling, enabling non-technical users to undertake more complex projects.
Jedox Integrator offers preconfigured interfaces to all well-established relational databases and ERP/finance, CRM, HCM, and SCM applications. Any additional cloud or on-premises data source can be integrated using flexible connections, providing seamless authentication using a standard interface.
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- KETL
A production-ready ETL platform, KETL, is open, multi-threaded, and built on an XML-based architecture. KETL allows the management of complex data, scheduling, and ETL activities by leveraging an advanced data integration platform. The multi-threaded engine comprises several job executors, each of which performs a specific function. These executors can mainly perform actions falling under three categories, SQL, XML, and OS. KETL also provides additional support for other jobs via KETI API. All kinds of data, including relational, flat files, XML data sources, and proprietary database APIs, are supported by KETL. Data integration and time/event-based scheduling require no additional third-party dependency.
- GeoKettle
GeoKettle is a potent, metadata-based ETL tool that integrates data from several sources to build and upkeep geospatial databases. It is a “spatially-enabled” version of Pentaho Data Integration software, formerly Kettle. With GeoKettle, users can extract data, transform it to fix errors, clean it, change its structure, make it consistent with standards, and then load the modified data into a GIS file, a target DBMS, or a geographic web service. This ETL service is mainly used for automating repetitive jobs without code. Due to its functionalities and read/write support for numerous file formats, services, and DBMS, GeoKettle is dependable, quick, standards-compliant, and reliable, making it one of the best opensource ETL tools.
- Apache Camel
Another open source ETL tool by Apache, Camel, is an integration framework that enables users to integrate multiple systems consuming and producing data. It is one of the standalone opensource ETL tools that can also be embedded as a Spring Boot or Quarkus library. Camel is compatible with most standard integration patterns and keeps evolving to cover the newer patterns. It leverages multiple EIP patterns for data transformation and routing. Additionally, with support for several industry-standard formats from the financial, telco, healthcare, and other sectors, Camel supports about 50 data types. Recently, Apache Camel 3.19 was released with several features and significant improvements.
- Singer
Singer is one of the most potent opensource ETL tools that seamlessly facilitates data extraction and loading. Stitch, a fully managed data pipeline, sponsors Singer. With Stitch, you can automate monitoring and alerting while running Singer taps on schedule and streaming the data to any target location. Singer describes data extraction via scripts called “taps” and data loading with scripts called “targets.” These taps and targets communicate data movements from any desired source to the destination. Taps extract data and output it in a JSON format, while Targets consume data extracted by Taps and load it in a file/API/database. Singer is also available on GitHub for everyone to access for free.
- Matillion
The last one on our list of opensource ETL tools is Matillion. Matillion is an advanced ETL service and a part of a modern data stack designed for cloud-agnostic enterprises to help them manage day-to-day business data operations. Users can collect data from any source using its connectors and pipelines. Matillion simplifies pipeline management by leveraging batch loading from a single control panel. With Matillion’s lifetime free basic plan, enterprises can seamlessly integrate with Facebook, Gmail, Google BigQuery, Intercom, Azure SQL, LDAP, and many others to gather and analyze data. For more advanced features, Matillion offers paid plans depending on business needs.
