// This assembly is included in the following assemblies:
//
// deploy/assembly-deploy-tasks.adoc
// assembly-getting-started.adoc

[id='kafka-connect-{context}']
= Deploy Kafka Connect

link:https://kafka.apache.org/documentation/#connect[Kafka Connect^] is a tool for streaming data between Apache Kafka and external systems.

In Strimzi, Kafka Connect is deployed in distributed mode.
Kafka Connect can also work in standalone mode, but this is not supported by Strimzi.

Using the concept of _connectors_, Kafka Connect provides a framework for moving large amounts of data into and out of your Kafka cluster while maintaining scalability and reliability.

Kafka Connect is typically used to integrate Kafka with external databases and storage and messaging systems.

The procedures in this section show how to:

* xref:deploying-kafka-connect-{context}[Deploy a Kafka Connect cluster using a `KafkaConnect` resource]
* xref:using-kafka-connect-with-plug-ins-{context}[Create a Kafka Connect image containing the connectors you need to make your connection]
* xref:con-creating-managing-connectors-{context}[Create and manage connectors using a `KafkaConnector` resource or the Kafka Connect REST API]
* xref:proc-deploying-kafkaconnector-{context}[Deploy a `KafkaConnector` resource to Kafka Connect]

NOTE: The term _connector_ is used interchangeably to mean a connector instance running within a Kafka Connect cluster, or a connector class.
In this guide, the term _connector_ is used when the meaning is clear from the context.

//Procedure to deploy a Kafka Connect cluster
include::modules/proc-deploy-kafka-connect.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
//Options to deploy Kafka Connect with new container image
include::assembly-deploy-kafka-connect-with-plugins.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
//Overview of creating connectors through API
include::modules/con-deploy-kafka-connect-managing-connectors.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
//Procedure to deploy a KafkaConnector resource
include::modules/proc-deploying-kafkaconnector.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
