Backpressure & Flow Control at Scale
Learn how backpressure protects stream processing systems from overload, and the techniques Kafka-based pipelines use to stay stable under bursty load.
What Is Backpressure?
Backpressure is feedback that slows a fast producer when a downstream stage can't keep up.
Without it, queues grow unbounded, memory fills, and the whole pipeline collapses under load.
Why Kafka Helps
Kafka itself acts as a giant durable buffer between producers and consumers.
- Producers write at their pace; consumers read at theirs.
- The log absorbs bursts up to the retention limit.
But the buffer is finite — you still need flow control.
All lessons in this course
- Designing for High Throughput
- Disaster Recovery & Geo-Replication
- Future Trends in Stream Processing
- Backpressure & Flow Control at Scale