General

What is KafkIO?

KafkIO is a native desktop Apache Kafka client and management UI designed for engineers and administrators. It provides comprehensive cluster management, topic administration, message browsing, Schema Registry integration, Kafka Connect management, ksqlDB support, and ACL configuration—all in a fast, lightweight application available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Is KafkIO free?

Yes, KafkIO is completely free with no ads, paywalls, data collection, or telemetry. It's a community-focused project that relies on donations to cover infrastructure costs.

What are the system requirements?

KafkIO is optimized for low memory consumption and fast performance. It runs on any modern Windows, macOS, or Linux system with minimal resource requirements. Native installers are available for all platforms.

Connectivity & Security

Which Kafka distributions and cloud providers does KafkIO support?

KafkIO works with Apache Kafka, Confluent Platform (including 8.x+), Amazon MSK, Azure Event Hub, Aiven, and other managed Kafka services. It supports both self-managed and cloud-hosted clusters.

What authentication mechanisms are supported?

KafkIO supports all standard Kafka security protocols: Plaintext, SSL, SASL_PLAINTEXT, and SASL_SSL. SASL mechanisms include GSSAPI (Kerberos), OAUTHBEARER, PLAIN, SCRAM-SHA-256, SCRAM-SHA-512, and AWS_MSK_IAM. Custom OAuth callback handlers are included for Amazon MSK, Strimzi, and Azure Event Hub. Kerberos configuration can be managed directly through the application preferences.

Can I use different certificate and key formats?

Yes, KafkIO supports all common formats including PEM/X.509, PKCS12, and JKS keystores and truststores. The application includes connection testing functionality to validate your security configuration before connecting.

Does KafkIO support Schema Registry with authentication?

Yes, KafkIO fully supports Schema Registry with Basic Authentication, SSL/TLS, custom headers, and OAuth (both OAUTHBEARER and STATIC_TOKEN). You can configure multiple Schema Registry URLs for failover or round-robin load balancing.

Features & Capabilities

Can I browse and search Kafka messages?

Yes, KafkIO provides comprehensive message browsing with support for Avro, Protobuf, JSON, String, and raw hex formats. You can filter messages using regex patterns, search across keys/values/headers, stream messages in real-time with optional sound notifications, and export message data. The interface supports syntax highlighting and multiple timezone views for timestamp fields.

How does KafkIO handle consumer lag monitoring?

KafkIO displays real-time consumer lag metrics for all consumer groups, showing lag per partition, total group lag, and consumer membership details. You can monitor under-replicated partitions and consumer rebalancing activity directly from the cluster overview.

Can I manage Kafka Connect connectors?

Yes, KafkIO provides full Kafka Connect integration. You can create, configure, update, pause, resume, restart, and delete connectors. The interface supports connector and task-level operations, displays connector status and errors, and allows cloning of connector configurations for easier deployment.

Does KafkIO support ksqlDB?

Yes, KafkIO includes a ksqlDB editor with intelligent query detection, streaming query support with sound notifications, sensible LIMIT enforcement notifications, and syntax highlighting.

Can I produce messages to topics?

Yes, KafkIO allows you to produce messages with support for various serialization formats (Avro, Protobuf, JSON, String). You can use message templates, open multiple produce dialogs simultaneously, specify headers, partition keys, and send messages to specific partitions.

Does KafkIO support ACL management?

Yes, you can create, view, and delete ACLs directly from the application.

Data & Schema Management

How does Schema Registry integration work?

KafkIO seamlessly integrates with Schema Registry for Avro, Protobuf and JSON schema management. You can view, create, update schemas, manage compatibility settings, and handle schema evolution.

Can I export topic data?

Yes, KafkIO supports topic dumps with configurable options including message headers, offset ranges, and various output formats.

Performance & Optimization

How does KafkIO handle large topics and high message volumes?

KafkIO is optimized for memory efficiency with lazy loading, streaming support, and intelligent pagination. Memory usage statistics are displayed in the status bar.

Is there a "portable" or "memory stick" mode?

Yes, KafkIO supports a memory-stick mode that allows you to run the application from a portable device without installing configuration files on the local system.

Support & Development

How often is KafkIO updated?

KafkIO receives regular updates with new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. Recent updates have been released every few weeks. Check the release notes for the latest changes.

How do I report bugs or request features?

You can report issues or request features through the contact page or directly within the application. The development team actively responds to user feedback.

Does the application collect telemetry or usage data?

No. KafkIO does not collect, transmit, or store any usage statistics, telemetry data, or personal information. The application operates entirely offline except for optional update checks and user-initiated connections to your Kafka infrastructure.