“Design Real-Time Architectures with Apache Spark & Kafka” is an intermediate-level course crafted for learners aiming to build modern, scalable streaming systems. Across engaging, scenario-driven lessons, the course offers a comprehensive introduction to designing and implementing real-time data pipelines. Participants explore the foundations of streaming concepts, event-driven patterns, and the unique demands of low-latency processing. They gain practical experience working with Apache Kafka for event ingestion and Apache Spark Structured Streaming for real-time computation, learning to transform raw streams into actionable insights. The curriculum emphasizes reliable pipeline design, covering fault tolerance, checkpointing, and performance tuning to ensure systems can operate at scale. Through hands-on practice, guided dialogues, and real-world financial data scenarios, learners develop the confidence to architect, optimize, and deploy production-ready streaming solutions. By the end of the course, they are equipped with the technical and strategic skills needed to excel in today’s data-driven, real-time environments.

Design Real-Time Architectures with Spark & Kafka
Grow your skills with Coursera Plus for $239/year (usually $399). Save now.

Design Real-Time Architectures with Spark & Kafka
This course is part of Real-Time, Real Fast: Kafka & Spark for Data Engineers Specialization


Instructors: Soheil Haddadi
Included with
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Examine core real-time data principles and how Kafka and Spark support streaming architectures.
Create real-time pipelines by connecting Kafka topics with Spark Structured Streaming.
Improve and deploy streaming systems using monitoring, fault tolerance, and tuning.
Skills you'll gain
Tools you'll learn
Details to know

Add to your LinkedIn profile
February 2026
1 assignment
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Offered by
Explore more from Machine Learning
Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.

Open new doors with Coursera Plus
Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription
Advance your career with an online degree
Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online
Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business
Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy




