How to work with Contentful Data in Apache Spark using SQL

Apache Spark is a fast and general engine for large-scale data processing. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for Contentful, Spark can work with live Contentful data. This article describes how to connect to and query Contentful data from a Spark shell.

The CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Contentful data due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries to Contentful, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Contentful and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can work with and analyze Contentful data using native data types.

Install the CData JDBC Driver for Contentful

Download the CData JDBC Driver for Contentful installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.

Start a Spark Shell and Connect to Contentful Data

1. Open a terminal and start the Spark shell with the CData JDBC Driver for Contentful JAR file as the jars parameter:

   $ spark-shell --jars /CData/CData JDBC Driver for Contentful/lib/cdata.jdbc.api.jar
   

2. With the shell running, you can connect to Contentful with a JDBC URL and use the SQL Context load() function to read a table.

   Start by setting the Profile connection property to the location of the Contentful Profile on disk (e.g. C:\profiles\Contentful.apip). Next, set the ProfileSettings connection property to the connection string for Contentful (see below).

   Contentful API Profile Settings

   Obtain your Content Delivery API access token from your Contentful space settings under Settings > API Keys. Your SpaceId is visible in your Contentful workspace configuration.

   Built-in Connection String Designer

   For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Contentful JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.api.jar
   

   Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

   

   Configure the connection to Contentful, using the connection string generated above.

   scala> val api_df = spark.sqlContext.read.format("jdbc").option("url", "jdbc:api:Profile=C:\profiles\Contentful.apip;ProfileSettings='APIKey=your_access_token;SpaceId=your_space_id';").option("dbtable","Assets").option("driver","cdata.jdbc.api.APIDriver").load()
   

3. Once you connect and the data is loaded you will see the table schema displayed.

4. Register the Contentful data as a temporary table:

   scala> api_df.registerTable("assets")

5. Perform custom SQL queries against the Data using commands like the one below:

   scala> api_df.sqlContext.sql("SELECT Id, SpaceId FROM Assets WHERE ContentType = image/jpeg").collect.foreach(println)

   You will see the results displayed in the console, similar to the following:

   

Using the CData JDBC Driver for Contentful in Apache Spark, you are able to perform fast and complex analytics on Contentful data, combining the power and utility of Spark with your data. Download a free, 30 day trial of any of the hundreds of CData JDBC Drivers and get started today.