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Apache Pulsar provides client libraries in multiple programming languages, allowing you to build applications that produce and consume messages from Pulsar topics.

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Available client libraries

Pulsar offers official client libraries for the following languages:

Java

Native Java client with full feature support

Python

Python client for building data pipelines

Go

Go client for high-performance applications

C++

Native C++ client for low-latency use cases

Node.js

JavaScript/TypeScript client for Node.js

.NET/C#

Modern .NET client for C# applications

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Client features

All Pulsar client libraries provide:
  • Producer API - Publish messages to topics with sync/async support
  • Consumer API - Subscribe to topics with various subscription types
  • Reader API - Read messages from specific positions
  • Schema support - Built-in serialization with Avro, JSON, Protobuf
  • Authentication - TLS, JWT, OAuth 2.0, and custom auth plugins
  • Compression - LZ4, Zlib, Zstd, and Snappy compression
  • Batching - Automatic message batching for throughput
  • Partitioning - Automatic routing for partitioned topics

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Choosing a client library

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Java client

The Java client is the most feature-complete implementation and is maintained as part of the main Pulsar repository. Use Java when:
  • Building enterprise applications with JVM
  • Need access to latest Pulsar features
  • Building Pulsar Functions in Java
  • Require maximum compatibility

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Python client

The Python client is a C++ binding providing native performance with Python ergonomics. Use Python when:
  • Building data processing pipelines
  • Working with data science frameworks
  • Need rapid development
  • Integrating with ML workflows

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Go client

The Go client is a pure Go implementation optimized for cloud-native applications. Use Go when:
  • Building microservices
  • Deploying in Kubernetes
  • Need lightweight containers
  • Require strong concurrency

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C++ client

The C++ client provides the lowest latency and highest throughput. Use C++ when:
  • Building low-latency systems
  • Need maximum performance
  • Working in embedded systems
  • Have existing C++ codebases

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Node.js client

The Node.js client enables JavaScript/TypeScript applications to use Pulsar. Use Node.js when:
  • Building web applications
  • Using JavaScript ecosystem
  • Need TypeScript support
  • Working with Express/Fastify

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.NET client

The .NET client (DotPulsar) is a modern C# implementation for .NET Core and .NET Framework. Use .NET when:
  • Building .NET applications
  • Using C# or F#
  • Need Windows support
  • Working with Azure

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Installation

Each client library has its own installation method: 
<dependency>
  <groupId>org.apache.pulsar</groupId>
  <artifactId>pulsar-client</artifactId>
  <version>4.2.0</version>
</dependency>

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Basic usage

All client libraries follow a similar pattern:
1

Create a client

Connect to the Pulsar cluster
2

Create a producer or consumer

Build a producer to publish or consumer to subscribe
3

Send or receive messages

Publish or consume messages
4

Close resources

Close the client when done

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Authentication

All clients support multiple authentication methods:
  • TLS Authentication - Client certificates
  • Token Authentication - JWT tokens
  • OAuth 2.0 - OAuth authentication flow
  • Athenz - Yahoo’s Athenz authorization
  • SASL/Kerberos - Enterprise authentication

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Client repositories

The client libraries are maintained in separate repositories:

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Next steps

Java client

Get started with the Java client

Producer API

Learn about producers and consumers

Schema support

Understand Pulsar schemas

Authentication

Configure client authentication

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