This chapter should be titled as the Apache ecosystem. Hadoop, like all the other projects that will be discussed in this section, is an Apache project. Apache is used loosely as a short form for the open source projects that are supported by the Apache Software Foundation. It originally has its roots in the development of the Apache HTTP server in the early 90s, and today is a collaborative global initiative that comprises entirely of volunteers who participate in releasing open source software to the global technical community.
Hadoop started out as, and still is, one of the projects in the Apache ecosystem. Due to its popularity, many other projects that are also part of Apache have been linked directly or indirectly to Hadoop as they support key functionalities in the Hadoop environment. That said, it is important to bear in mind that these projects can...