Apache Impala
Apache Impala is an open-source analytic database for SQL queries on open data and table formats.
What Apache Impala is
Apache Impala is an open-source analytic database for SQL queries on open data and table formats. It is designed for low-latency, high-concurrency business intelligence and analytics across the Hadoop ecosystem, and scales linearly, including in multitenant environments. It works with data in HDFS, HBase, and Amazon S3, and supports formats such as delimited text, Parquet, Avro, SequenceFile, and RCFile, with Snappy, GZIP, Deflate, and BZIP codecs. Clients can connect through impala-shell, Hue, JDBC, or ODBC. Impala reuses file formats, metadata, security, and resource-management frameworks from Hadoop deployments, and shares metadata and an ODBC driver with Apache Hive. It can query Kudu tables and perform updates or deletes, and interact with Iceberg tables registered in the Hive Metastore. Kerberos authentication, Apache Ranger authorization, auditing, and encrypted JDBC or ODBC connections are supported. Impala is free under the Apache License 2.0. Its project notes that it does not replace MapReduce-based batch frameworks such as Hive for long-running ETL and batch jobs.
Good
- Supports SQL queries across HDFS, HBase, and Amazon S3.
- Connects through impala-shell, Hue, JDBC, or ODBC.
- Can query Kudu and interact with Iceberg tables.
- Supports Kerberos, Ranger authorization, auditing, and encryption.
- Free under the Apache License 2.0.
Watch out
- Does not replace long-running batch-processing frameworks.
- Designed for Hadoop ecosystem analytics.
Who it suits
It suits teams running SQL analytics or BI queries on data in Hadoop-related storage systems and open table formats. It is less suited as a replacement for frameworks used for long-running ETL and batch jobs.
Verdict
Apache Impala is a free SQL analytic database for high-concurrency querying across Hadoop-related data stores. Keep batch processing needs in mind, since the project distinguishes Impala from frameworks for long-running ETL and batch work.
Plans and prices
From Apache Impala's own pricing page, checked 1 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Apache Impala open-source software | Free | Apache License 2.0 · source and binary releases · free of charge |
The facts
Each one read from Apache Impala's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Batch-processing limitation
- Impala does not replace MapReduce-based batch frameworks such as Hive, which are suited to long-running ETL and batch jobs.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Client interfaces
- Clients can connect through impala-shell, Hue, JDBC, or ODBC.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Data formats
- Supported formats include delimited text, Parquet, Avro, SequenceFile, and RCFile, with Snappy, GZIP, Deflate, and BZIP compression codecs.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Downloads
- The downloads page lists releases with SHA512 checksums and GPG signatures, and says DEB/RPM packages are available from GitHub Releases.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Encrypted connections
- JDBC and ODBC applications can use Kerberos authentication, TLS/SSL encryption, or both.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Iceberg integration
- Impala can add existing Iceberg tables to the Hive Metastore with CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE and interact with them.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Infrastructure reuse
- Impala uses the same file and data formats, metadata, security, and resource-management frameworks as Hadoop deployments.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Kudu integration
- Impala can query Kudu tables and perform efficient update or delete operations when data changes continuously or in small batches.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Product type
- Apache Impala is an open-source native analytic database for open data and table formats.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Query performance
- Impala provides low-latency and high-concurrency BI and analytic queries on the Hadoop ecosystem.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Scaling
- Impala scales linearly, including in multitenant environments.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Security
- Impala integrates Kerberos authentication with Apache Ranger fine-grained authorization and provides auditing capabilities.checked 1 Oct 2026
- SQL compatibility
- Impala supports SQL and uses the same metadata and ODBC driver as Apache Hive.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Storage systems
- Impala supports data in HDFS, HBase, and Amazon S3.checked 1 Oct 2026
- Support channels
- The project provides user and developer mailing lists, Jira issues, Slack, Stack Overflow, and Quora community channels.checked 1 Oct 2026
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