Apache Cassandra vs ScyllaDB
Apache Cassandra
Distributed wide-column NoSQL for zero downtime
ScyllaDB
High-performance Cassandra-compatible database
| Feature | Apache Cassandra | ScyllaDB |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Databases | Databases |
| Sub-category | Column-Family | Column-Family |
| Maturity | mature | stable |
| Complexity | advanced | advanced |
| Performance tier | medium | medium |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| License type | permissive | copyleft |
| Pricing | fully free | fully free |
| GitHub stars | 9.0K | 14.0K |
| Contributors | 500 | 200 |
| Commit frequency | weekly | weekly |
| Plugin ecosystem | none | none |
| Docs quality | good | good |
| Backing org | Apache Foundation | ScyllaDB |
| Funding model | foundation | vc_backed |
| Min RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Min CPU cores | 4 | 4 |
| Scaling pattern | distributed | distributed |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| K8s native | No | No |
| Offline capable | Yes | Yes |
| Vendor lock-in | none | none |
| Languages | Java | C++ |
| API type | REST | REST |
| Protocols | HTTP | HTTP |
| Deployment | docker, apt, binary | docker, apt, binary |
| SDK languages | — | — |
| Team size fit | solo, small, medium, enterprise | solo, small, medium, enterprise |
| First release | 2020 | 2020 |
| Latest version | — | — |
When to use Apache Cassandra
- ✓ Primary use: iot-data
- ✓ Primary use: messaging-systems
- ✓ Primary use: time-series
When to use ScyllaDB
- ✓ Primary: low-latency-workloads
- ✓ Primary: cassandra-replacement
- ✓ Primary: real-time-applications
Apache Cassandra anti-patterns
ScyllaDB anti-patterns
- ✕ AGPL license limits some use
- ✕ Complex operations like Cassandra
- ✕ Needs careful resource planning