Schema registry

A schema registry is a central service for managing data schemas and their versions. Applications can refer to registered schemas. Depending on the system and rules used, changes can be checked for technical compatibility.

Make versions jointly accessible

Confluent describes its Schema Registry as central management with compatibility checks for producers and consumers. This helps when several applications use and evolve message schemas. Which check actually applies depends on the agreed and configured use.

Assess technical checks in their business context

In a fictional exchange, a quantity field remains an integer but will mean individual items rather than cartons. An unchanged structure does not explain this change of meaning. The applications involved therefore need an agreed transition. A registry does not turn a formally suitable message into a correct order. For a few stable interfaces, versioned file storage may already suffice; the additional service should solve a specific coordination problem.

Sources

• Confluent: Schema Registry