This post was published February 17th, 2012 and the content may be obsolete. Thus, most of these links are no longer active but I am keeping this post for posterity.
One of the cool things about the Hadoop on Azure CTP is its Interactive JavaScript Console – it allows users query and visualize data on top HDFS using a JavaScript framework. For example, below is a graph pie visualization within a browser generated by the Interactive JavaScript console using graph.pie function.
Why is this important and cool at the same time? As one can note with amazing projects like node.js, JavaScript is being seen by many as its own first class programming / application language: The rise of Node.js: JavaScript graduates to the server.
In the realm of Big Data, Hadoop on Azure is showcasing the ability to use JavaScript to create MapReduce jobs as well as interact with Pig and Hive from a browser. This opens up the possibility of a new path for the many JavaScript developers to jump onboard into the world of Big Data. Hence my opinion:
Hadoop JavaScript – Microsoft’s VB shift for Big Data
Just like Microsoft brought VB developers into the Enterprise by COM and later .NET (so VB forms creators could become Enterprise application developers back in the 90s), Hadoop JavaScript is a way to help bring JavaScript developers into the world of Hadoop using their own already powerful skillset.
And yes, the JavaScript layer is something Microsoft intends to give back to the Apache community. Check out the jira HADOOP-8079: Proposal for enhancements to Hadoop for Windows Server and Windows Azure development and runtime environments.
To know more about the Hadoop + JavaScript, check out the links below as well as the Introduction to the Hadoop on Azure Interactive JavaScript Console video.
- Fluent Queries on the Interactive JavaScript Console
- Interactive JavaScript console on MDH
- Data Visualization on the Interactive JavaScript Console
- HDFS Operations on the Interactive JavaScript Console
- Interactive JavaScript Console Session Management
As well, if you’re going to 2012 Strata Conference in Santa Clara, check out Asad Khan’s session: Hadoop + JavaScript: what we learned.
Enjoy!
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Disclaimer: This blog post (like other blog posts on dennyglee.com) are written by the author Denny Lee. I am a Microsoft employee but the opinions below are my own. I have been working with the Isotope team (code name for Hadoop on Windows and Hadoop on Azure) since its inception while part of the SQL Customer Advisory Team.
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