Apache Kylin vs Mondrian
Apache Kylin: OLAP engine that pre-computes cubes and aggregate indexes for sub-second SQL on huge datasets. Mondrian: Java ROLAP engine that answers MDX queries by generating SQL against your relational warehouse.
key differences
- Apache Kylin is primarily a columnar / OLAP database; Mondrian is relational.
- Licensing: Apache Kylin is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Mondrian is source-available (Business Source License 1.1 (since 10.3; older releases EPL)).
- Apache Kylin is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Mondrian (≤ 10 TB).
- Horizontal scaling is native in Apache Kylin and none in Mondrian.
- Only Apache Kylin has materialized views, columnar storage, durable persistence, compression, role-based access.
- Mondrian can run embedded in your application process.
choose apache-kylin for
- +Enterprise BI dashboards with fixed dimensions
- +Replacing legacy MOLAP cubes
- +High-concurrency reporting
best at · OLAP, Warehouse
choose mondrian for
- +Pivot-style analytics over a star schema in PostgreSQL, MySQL or a warehouse
- +Embedding OLAP cubes in Java BI applications
- +Pentaho Business Analytics deployments
best at · OLAP, Warehouse
Apache Kylin vs Mondrian: FAQ
What is the difference between Apache Kylin and Mondrian?
Apache Kylin: OLAP engine that pre-computes cubes and aggregate indexes for sub-second SQL on huge datasets. Mondrian: Java ROLAP engine that answers MDX queries by generating SQL against your relational warehouse. Apache Kylin is primarily a columnar / OLAP database; Mondrian is relational. Licensing: Apache Kylin is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Mondrian is source-available (Business Source License 1.1 (since 10.3; older releases EPL)). Apache Kylin is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Mondrian (≤ 10 TB).
When should I choose Apache Kylin over Mondrian?
Choose Apache Kylin for enterprise BI dashboards with fixed dimensions, replacing legacy MOLAP cubes and high-concurrency reporting. Choose Mondrian for pivot-style analytics over a star schema in PostgreSQL, MySQL or a warehouse; embedding OLAP cubes in Java BI applications; and pentaho Business Analytics deployments.
Is Apache Kylin or Mondrian more popular?
Apache Kylin ranks #196 on the WhichDB Score (16.9/100) and Mondrian ranks #267 (12.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are Apache Kylin and Mondrian open source?
Yes. Apache Kylin is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Not in the OSI sense. Mondrian is source-available: you can read the code, but the license restricts some uses, typically offering it as a competing managed service. License: Business Source License 1.1 (since 10.3; older releases EPL).