:_mod-docs-content-type: ASSEMBLY

// This assembly is included in the following assemblies:
//
// deploy/assembly-deploy-tasks.adoc
// assembly-getting-started.adoc

[id='kafka-connect-{context}']
= Deploying Kafka Connect

[role="_abstract"]
link:{ApacheKafkaDocsBase}kafka-connect/overview/[Kafka Connect^] is an integration toolkit for streaming data between Kafka brokers and other systems using connector plugins.
Kafka Connect provides a framework for integrating Kafka with an external data source or target, such as a database or messaging system, for import or export of data using connectors.
Connectors are plugins that provide the connection configuration needed.

In Strimzi, Kafka Connect is deployed in distributed mode.
Kafka Connect can also work in standalone mode, but this is not supported by Strimzi.

Using the concept of _connectors_, Kafka Connect provides a framework for moving large amounts of data into and out of your Kafka cluster while maintaining scalability and reliability.

The Cluster Operator manages Kafka Connect clusters deployed using the `KafkaConnect` resource and connectors created using the `KafkaConnector` resource.

In order to use Kafka Connect, you need to do the following.

* xref:deploying-kafka-connect-{context}[Deploy a Kafka Connect cluster]
* xref:using-kafka-connect-with-plug-ins-{context}[Add connectors to integrate with other systems]

NOTE: The term _connector_ is used interchangeably to mean a connector instance running within a Kafka Connect cluster, or a connector class.
In this guide, the term _connector_ is used when the meaning is clear from the context.

//Procedure to deploy a Kafka Connect cluster
include::../../modules/deploying/proc-deploy-kafka-connect.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
//Resources created for Kafka Connect
include::../../modules/configuring/ref-config-list-of-kafka-connect-resources.adoc[leveloffset=+1]

