This how-to guide shows how to use the Apache Kafka distributed streaming platform to meet different business requirements. It tells how Kafka works and where it can come in handy in practice; describes the characteristics of projects in which this platform can be useful. Its main components are considered - clients and a cluster, options for improving a working cluster are presented. The book is addressed to developers who want to familiarize themselves with the idea of ​ ​ streaming data. To study the code examples, you will need basic knowledge of the command line; it is desirable to have Java programming skills.