Change data capture · Red Hat / Debezium Community

Debezium

Open-source distributed platform for log-based change data capture, streaming database changes into Apache Kafka.

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Debezium is a set of Kafka Connect source connectors that read database transaction logs (for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, SQL Server, Oracle, Db2 and others) and turn every row-level insert, update and delete into a structured event on a Kafka topic. Because it reads the log rather than polling tables, it captures changes with low latency and without adding query load to the source database, and it can produce a consistent initial snapshot before switching to streaming. It is entirely open source under the Apache-2.0 license and requires operating (or paying a vendor to operate) a Kafka cluster and Kafka Connect, unlike managed CDC offerings; Debezium Server offers a Kafka-free option that streams directly to targets like Kinesis or Pub/Sub. It underpins CDC features in several downstream ELT and streaming platforms.

At a glance

Vendor Red Hat / Debezium Community
Pricing model Open source + paid options
Free tier Yes
Deployment Self-hosted
Open source Yes (Apache-2.0)
Best for Engineering teams already running Kafka who need reliable, low-latency database change streams.

Pricing

Free and open source with no vendor pricing page; commercial support is available through Red Hat as part of other product subscriptions.

Pricing has not been verified yet — see the vendor's site.

Features

  • Log-based CDC connectors for major databases
  • Kafka Connect source connector framework
  • Consistent initial snapshot plus streaming
  • Debezium Server for Kafka-free targets
  • Schema change event tracking
  • Exactly-once delivery semantics (with supported configurations)

Integrations

Profile last reviewed September 21, 2026

Head to head

Alternatives

Striim Real-time data integration platform combining log-based CDC with in-flight stream processing, available self-hosted or as managed cloud. Qlik Replicate Log-based change data capture and replication engine for moving data from enterprise databases and mainframes with minimal source impact. Oracle GoldenGate Oracle's log-based data replication and change data capture technology for real-time database synchronization and migration.

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Terms to know

Change data capture (CDC) A technique for detecting and streaming only the rows that changed in a source system, instead of reloading everything. Data pipeline The automated sequence of steps that moves data from source systems to a destination, transforming it along the way. Apache Kafka An open-source distributed event streaming platform that stores records in ordered, durable, replayable logs called topics. Event tracking Capturing specific user actions, such as clicks or purchases, as discrete, named pieces of data.

Related guides

How to choose a change data capture tool Pick CDC by how it reads the source log, who has to operate it, and whether you actually need sub-second delivery or just a fresh warehouse table.