How to work with Monday.com 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 Monday.com, Spark can work with live Monday.com data. This article describes how to connect to and query Monday.com data from a Spark shell.

The CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Monday.com data due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries to Monday.com, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Monday.com 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 Monday.com data using native data types.

Install the CData JDBC Driver for Monday.com

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

Start a Spark Shell and Connect to Monday.com Data

1. Open a terminal and start the Spark shell with the CData JDBC Driver for Monday.com JAR file as the jars parameter: $ spark-shell --jars /CData/CData JDBC Driver for Monday.com/lib/cdata.jdbc.monday.jar
2. With the shell running, you can connect to Monday.com with a JDBC URL and use the SQL Context load() function to read a table.

   You can connect to Monday.com using either API Token authentication or OAuth authentication.

   Connecting with an API Token

   Connect to Monday.com by specifying the APIToken. Set the AuthScheme to Token and obtain the APIToken as follows:

   • API tokens for admin users
     1. Log in to your Monday.com account and click on your avatar in the bottom left corner.
     2. Select Admin.
     3. Select "API" on the left side of the Admin page.
     4. Click the "Copy" button to copy the user's API token.
   • API tokens for non-admin users
     1. Click on your profile picture in the bottom left of your screen.
     2. Select "Developers"
     3. Click "Developer" and then "My Access Tokens" at the top.
     4. Select "Show" next to the API token, where you'll be able to copy it.

   Connecting with OAuth Authentication

   Alternatively, you can establish a connection using OAuth (refer to the OAuth section of the Help documentation).

   Built-in Connection String Designer

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

   java -jar cdata.jdbc.monday.jar

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

   Configure the connection to Monday.com, using the connection string generated above.

   scala> val monday_df = spark.sqlContext.read.format("jdbc").option("url", "jdbc:monday:APIToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.yJ0aWQiOjE0MTc4NzIxMiwidWlkIjoyNzI3ODM3OSwiaWFkIjoiMjAyMi0wMS0yMFQxMDo0NjoxMy45NDFaIiwicGV;").option("dbtable","Invoices").option("driver","cdata.jdbc.monday.MondayDriver").load()
3. Once you connect and the data is loaded you will see the table schema displayed.

4. Register the Monday.com data as a temporary table:

   scala> monday_df.registerTable("invoices")

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

   scala> monday_df.sqlContext.sql("SELECT Id, DueDate FROM Invoices WHERE Status = SENT").collect.foreach(println)

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

Using the CData JDBC Driver for Monday.com in Apache Spark, you are able to perform fast and complex analytics on Monday.com data, combining the power and utility of Spark with your data. Download a free, 30 day trial of any of the 200+ CData JDBC Drivers and get started today.