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Apache Airflow

By The Apache Software Foundation

4.4 out of 5 stars

How would you rate your experience with Apache Airflow?

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Apache Airflow Pros and Cons: Top Advantages and Disadvantages

Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews

Generated from real user reviews

Users find Apache Airflow easy to use for implementing ETL pipelines and cross-platform integrations seamlessly. (29 mentions)
Users appreciate the intuitive UI of Apache Airflow, which simplifies monitoring and debugging complex workflows effortlessly. (16 mentions)
Users appreciate the flexibility of Apache Airflow, enabling seamless integration and management of complex workflows and tasks. (12 mentions)
Users appreciate the automation capabilities of Apache Airflow, simplifying the scheduling of complex workflows with ease. (10 mentions)
Users appreciate the easy integrations of Apache Airflow, enabling seamless connections to various cloud services and databases. (10 mentions)
Users love the intuitive Python interface of Apache Airflow, making it easy to set up and manage workflows. (9 mentions)
Users appreciate the extensive integrations of Apache Airflow, enabling seamless connections with various applications and data sources. (9 mentions)
Users value the API integration in Apache Airflow, enabling seamless connectivity for workflow and reporting processes. (1 mentions)
Users find the difficult setup of Apache Airflow challenging, especially for beginners and Windows installations. (11 mentions)
Users highlight the steep learning curve for Apache Airflow, especially for newcomers needing Python proficiency to utilize effectively. (9 mentions)
Users note the steep learning curve of Apache Airflow, finding initial setup and mastery quite challenging. (8 mentions)
Users find the learning difficulty of Apache Airflow challenging, especially compared to more intuitive pipeline tools. (6 mentions)
Users struggle with the interface complexity of Apache Airflow, finding it challenging without a technical background. (5 mentions)
Users find the UI clumsy and daunting, impacting usability and the overall experience with Apache Airflow. (5 mentions)
Users face scalability issues with Apache Airflow, struggling with memory limitations and error recovery processes. (3 mentions)
Users seek improvements for integration issues to enhance Apache Airflow's efficiency in complex enterprise ecosystems. (2 mentions)
Users find that errors and bug fixes require manual troubleshooting, which can be time-consuming and frustrating. (2 mentions)
Users find the poor navigation in Apache Airflow frustrating, hindering efficient task tracking and management. (1 mentions)

Top Pros or Advantages of Apache Airflow

1. Ease of Use
Users find Apache Airflow easy to use for implementing ETL pipelines and cross-platform integrations seamlessly.
See 29 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Aditya K.
AK

Aditya K.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"ETL for data workflows and heavy data engineering ops"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Platforms like AWS and GCP charge for the ETL workflows where as Apache Airflow is easy to use and host on standalone server or even on Kubernetes

MAHANTESH S H.
MH

MAHANTESH S H.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best multi purpose automation app"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

The ability to schedule multiple automated flows from different tools like nessus, open vas and to get the results at one place

2. User Interface
Users appreciate the intuitive UI of Apache Airflow, which simplifies monitoring and debugging complex workflows effortlessly.
See 16 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rahul D.
RD

Rahul D.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful and flexible workflow orchestration tool"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow offers excellent flexibility in defining, scheduling, and monitoring complex workflows. The DAG-based approach is intuitive for data en

Verified User
U

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Easy and good product"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

It is easy configure it is easy to handle script over UI It shows error on UI where your script got error Can run script easily

3. Flexibility
Users appreciate the flexibility of Apache Airflow, enabling seamless integration and management of complex workflows and tasks.
See 12 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rahul D.
RD

Rahul D.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful and flexible workflow orchestration tool"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow offers excellent flexibility in defining, scheduling, and monitoring complex workflows. The DAG-based approach is intuitive for data en

Nirbhay K.
NK

Nirbhay K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful Workflow Orchestration with Flexibility and Scalability"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow excels in orchestrating complex workflows with ease. Its DAG-based approach makes task dependencies clear and manageable. The web UI is

4. Automation
Users appreciate the automation capabilities of Apache Airflow, simplifying the scheduling of complex workflows with ease.
See 10 mentions

See Related User Reviews

MAHANTESH S H.
MH

MAHANTESH S H.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best multi purpose automation app"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

The ability to schedule multiple automated flows from different tools like nessus, open vas and to get the results at one place

Tong Yi C.
TC

Tong Yi C.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"automate reporting and data pulls"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

being able to use python to create workflows that integrate with our reports is so core to many of our processes

5. Easy Integrations
Users appreciate the easy integrations of Apache Airflow, enabling seamless connections to various cloud services and databases.
See 10 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rahul D.
RD

Rahul D.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful and flexible workflow orchestration tool"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow offers excellent flexibility in defining, scheduling, and monitoring complex workflows. The DAG-based approach is intuitive for data en

Nirbhay K.
NK

Nirbhay K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful Workflow Orchestration with Flexibility and Scalability"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow excels in orchestrating complex workflows with ease. Its DAG-based approach makes task dependencies clear and manageable. The web UI is

6. Features
Users love the intuitive Python interface of Apache Airflow, making it easy to set up and manage workflows.
See 9 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Dwarikanath  P.
DP

Dwarikanath P.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Wonderful orchestration tool"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

ability to manage dependencies, handle retries, and provide detailed insights into workflow execution through robust monitoring and logging capabiliti

DK

Digamber K.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Apache Airflow : A must learn orchestration tool for data geeks."

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Airflow provides numerous cross-platform integration with almost all the required technologies. It has vast number of features while creating DAG's. I

7. Integrations
Users appreciate the extensive integrations of Apache Airflow, enabling seamless connections with various applications and data sources.
See 9 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Bikash s.
BS

Bikash s.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Streamlining Data Pipelines with Apache Airflow"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

What I like best about Apache Airflow is its flexibility and powerful scheduling capabilities. As a developer, I can design complex workflows as code

DK

Digamber K.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Apache Airflow : A must learn orchestration tool for data geeks."

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

Airflow provides numerous cross-platform integration with almost all the required technologies. It has vast number of features while creating DAG's. I

8. API Integration
Users value the API integration in Apache Airflow, enabling seamless connectivity for workflow and reporting processes.
See 1 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Tong Yi C.
TC

Tong Yi C.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"automate reporting and data pulls"

What do you like about Apache Airflow?

being able to use python to create workflows that integrate with our reports is so core to many of our processes

Top Cons or Disadvantages of Apache Airflow

1. Difficult Setup
Users find the difficult setup of Apache Airflow challenging, especially for beginners and Windows installations.
See 11 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Dwarikanath  P.
DP

Dwarikanath P.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Wonderful orchestration tool"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

Difficult to install in windows operating

Usman M.
UM

Usman M.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful Workflow Automation with Some Learning Curve"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

While powerful, Airflow has drawbacks: Steep Learning Curve: New users struggle with concepts like DAGs, XComs, and executors. Complex Setup: Lo

2. Learning Curve
Users highlight the steep learning curve for Apache Airflow, especially for newcomers needing Python proficiency to utilize effectively.
See 9 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Pedro P.
PP

Pedro P.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Pipeline and user management at the most"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The installation, setup, and running are not straightforward, and some fine-tuning is necessary.

Aditya R.
AR

Aditya R.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful workflow orchestration tool with great flexibility"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

Airflow can be a bit challenging to set up and configure initially, especially when deploying in production with multiple workers and schedulers. Reso

3. Steep Learning Curve
Users note the steep learning curve of Apache Airflow, finding initial setup and mastery quite challenging.
See 8 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Aditya R.
AR

Aditya R.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful workflow orchestration tool with great flexibility"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

Airflow can be a bit challenging to set up and configure initially, especially when deploying in production with multiple workers and schedulers. Reso

Verified User
I

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"Powerful Workflow Orchestration, but Needs a Bit of Setup Effort"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

A common dislike about Apache Airflow is that it has a steep learning curve and requires significant setup and maintenance for production use. It take

4. Learning Difficulty
Users find the learning difficulty of Apache Airflow challenging, especially compared to more intuitive pipeline tools.
See 6 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
C

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"I have used Airflow for developing pipeline in my recent company"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The Airflow orchestration tool is a bit complicated in developing compared to other pipeline tools. While other tools have drag-and-drop options, codi

Nathan P.
NP

Nathan P.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"Great Functionality. Unsure if it matches my use case"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

I do not like that there is a good deal of latency between starting tasks with the default settings. I might be able to reduce it but it will require

5. Interface Complexity
Users struggle with the interface complexity of Apache Airflow, finding it challenging without a technical background.
See 5 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
C

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"I have used Airflow for developing pipeline in my recent company"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The Airflow orchestration tool is a bit complicated in developing compared to other pipeline tools. While other tools have drag-and-drop options, codi

Adekunle M.
AM

Adekunle M.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"What you should know about airflow"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

It requires a little complexity and technical background for optimal use . someone without the knowledge of programming cannot be confidently use this

6. UX Improvement
Users find the UI clumsy and daunting, impacting usability and the overall experience with Apache Airflow.
See 5 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rahul D.
RD

Rahul D.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Powerful and flexible workflow orchestration tool"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The initial setup and configuration can be challenging, especially for beginners. Managing dependencies and scaling in production requires strong infr

Verified User
I

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"Streamlining Complex Data Pipelines with Ease"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

While Apache Airflow is powerful, it does come with a steep learning curve for beginners, especially when setting up and configuring it for the first

7. Scalability Issues
Users face scalability issues with Apache Airflow, struggling with memory limitations and error recovery processes.
See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Jayanna T.
JT

Jayanna T.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"An one man army"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

If we have less memory in the cluster, it does not support auto-scaling. If one processor fails, we need to restart everything from scratch. Sometimes

Verified User
U

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"Suitable for setting up ETLs and Cron Jobs Quickly and Easily"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

One thing that I would love Apache Airflow to have would be some improvements to scale the ETLs and provide tools that can help with smooth api integr

8. Integration Issues
Users seek improvements for integration issues to enhance Apache Airflow's efficiency in complex enterprise ecosystems.
See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Bikash s.
BS

Bikash s.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Streamlining Data Pipelines with Apache Airflow"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The learning curve is pretty steep, particularly when configuring the scheduler and managing task dependencies. Sometimes Airflow’s web UI feels slugg

Verified User
U

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"Suitable for setting up ETLs and Cron Jobs Quickly and Easily"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

One thing that I would love Apache Airflow to have would be some improvements to scale the ETLs and provide tools that can help with smooth api integr

9. Manual Labor
Users find that errors and bug fixes require manual troubleshooting, which can be time-consuming and frustrating.
See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Vinol D.
VD

Vinol D.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Best for someone starting on data warehouse"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

- Needs a dedicated data engineer and devops - Maintianence could take lot of time - needs another tool for data quality measurement

Tong Yi C.
TC

Tong Yi C.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"automate reporting and data pulls"

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

errors and bug fixes are still manual and does take a while to troubleshoot

10. Poor Navigation
Users find the poor navigation in Apache Airflow frustrating, hindering efficient task tracking and management.
See 1 mentions

See Related User Reviews

DK

Digamber K.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Apache Airflow : A must learn orchestration tool for data geeks."

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

UI is clumsy. In order to see the task in UI I have to go back to all dags when we retrigger 2nd time. It can be better but it compensates with the fe

Apache Airflow Reviews (118)

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Apache Airflow Reviews (118)

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Raghavendra R.
RR
Data engineer
Computer Software
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Reliable Data Orchestration with Setup Challenges"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

I like Apache Airflow's clear DAGs since they make workflows easy to understand and maintain. The scheduling feature ensures pipelines run automatically without manual effort, which is really helpful. I also appreciate the retries and monitoring, as they help quickly detect and recover from failures. Additionally, its scalability is a significant advantage, allowing me to handle growing data workloads reliably, making Airflow dependable for production pipelines. Overall, these features really enhance my experience with Apache Airflow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

Some things in Apache Airflow not work very well for me. Setup and initial configuration is little complex and takes time. UI sometimes feels slow when lot of DAGs are running. Debugging failed tasks is not always clear, logs are scattered. Also version upgrades can break existing DAGs, backward compatibility should be better. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Aditya R.
AR
Sofware Development Engineer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Powerful workflow orchestration tool with great flexibility"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow makes it incredibly easy to design, schedule, and monitor complex workflows using Python. I like how it allows building DAGs in a very readable and modular way, which helps in managing large-scale data pipelines. The UI is intuitive and gives full visibility into task execution, retries, and logs. Its ability to integrate seamlessly with databases, cloud providers, and external services makes it very flexible for real-world use cases. The community support and available plugins also make it easy to extend functionality as needed. Customer Support is also good. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

Airflow can be a bit challenging to set up and configure initially, especially when deploying in production with multiple workers and schedulers. Resource management and scaling sometimes require additional tuning, and debugging can be tricky for new users. The learning curve is steeper compared to some other orchestration tools, and the UI, while useful, could be more modern and responsive. However, once set up, it becomes stable and very reliable. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Shabbir P.
SP
Senior Software Engineer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Powerful Task Scheduler with Installation Challenges"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

I use Apache Airflow for project flow management and monitoring. I find its web-based UI and Python scripting features valuable, making it easy to develop and design process flows. Python as a scripting language is more user-friendly than other complex languages, which helps in writing complex flowcharts better than with traditional languages. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The installation process of Apache Airflow is quite complex and highly dependent on PIP, making it very difficult to handle on cyber security blocked servers. The initial setup is challenging, especially in a proxy-based environment, as it requires lots of permissions and manual installations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Bikash s.
BS
DevOps Engineer
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Streamlining Data Pipelines with Apache Airflow"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

What I like best about Apache Airflow is its flexibility and powerful scheduling capabilities. As a developer, I can design complex workflows as code using Python, making it easy to version-control and collaborate with teammates. The UI is intuitive for monitoring DAG runs and troubleshooting issues, and Airflow’s large ecosystem of integrations lets me connect with almost any tool or database Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The learning curve is pretty steep, particularly when configuring the scheduler and managing task dependencies. Sometimes Airflow’s web UI feels sluggish, and troubleshooting issues can get complicated with complex DAGs. Also, while there are a lot of integrations, keeping dependencies compatible during upgrades isn’t always smooth. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Pedro P.
PP
Visiting Professor
Computer Software
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Pipeline and user management at the most"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

Airflow enhances pipeline observability - both process and data - to the highest level.

It enables the distribution of pipeline execution among a team of stakeholders with varying technical backgrounds in a safe and user-friendly environment. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The installation, setup, and running are not straightforward, and some fine-tuning is necessary. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Abhishek K.
AK
Senior Analyst
Retail
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Streamlining Supply Chain Workflows with Apache Airflow"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

What I like best about Apache Airflow is how it lets me orchestrate complex data pipelines in a very structured way. In supply chain demand planning, we deal with multiple data sources – sales, inventory, production, even external signals like holidays or weather. Airflow makes it easier to schedule, monitor and re-run these workflows without too much manual hassle. I also like the visibility it gives through the UI, it helps to quickly catch when a task is failing and why. For me, this saves a lot of time compared to writing adhoc scripts and cron jobs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

Sometimes Airflow can feel a bit heavy, specially when setting it up the first time. For smaller workflows it almost feels like an overkill, but in larger supply chain planning projects it pays off. The UI is good but can be slow when you have too many DAGs running. Also, learning curve is not trivial – it takes some time to get comfortable with operators, connections and handling backfills. I also wish the documentation had more real-world supply chain use cases instead of just generic ETL examples. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Akash B.
AB
Associate Software Engineer
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Effortless ETL Setup with Broad Integration"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

Setting up ETL pipelines and orchestrating workflows is straightforward, thanks to the wide range of integrations available with nearly every data source and enterprise application. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

While there is a wide range of possible integrations, the built-in scheduler is not particularly advanced when it comes to managing complex scheduling requirements. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Yanamala P.
YP
Software Engineer Intern
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Orchestrating ETL jobs made easy with Airflow."
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

Apache Airflow is very much helpful in orchestrating complex work flows. I really love the DAG based workflow orchestration, this helped me in breaking down large tasks into smaller tasks which made debugging easy. The best thing I like about airflow is its retry mechanism, If I want to run a specific task of a Dag or Dag failed at a particular task then I can just retry at the specific task instead of running entire Dag from start which really saved a lot of time. One more best thing about Airflow is its Dynamic Dag approach, When there is requirement to create multiple similar DAGs then we can create a specific template and use that template for all the similar DAGs which is really an amazing feature, this helped me a lot and reduced manual writing. I have been using Airflow for 1 Year and I feel that Airflow is the best platform for Orchestration Workflows. Customer support is very responsive and helpful. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

There is no proper documentation for some Operators which makes difficult for new users. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Saketh K.
SK
Data Engineer
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"Airflow vs Cron: When Simplicity Matters"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

Opensource, UI to track almost every aspect of each job, python friendly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

While Apache Airflow is powerful, it often complicates simple tasks with added abstractions like custom directives and inter-task communication. Job scheduling isn’t intuitive—requiring attention to interval ends—and log loading can be sluggish. Though opinions may vary, I personally find traditional cronjobs a simpler and more effective solution for managing a large number of jobs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Tobias S.
TS
Sr. BI Manager
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Great DAG Frontend, But Feels Outdated"
What do you like best about Apache Airflow?

It has a nice user interface for viewing the status of DAGs, which has become an industry standard. Additionally, when jobs fail, the logs are very helpful for tracking down what went wrong. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Apache Airflow?

The setups feel outdated and unnecessarily complex. In comparison, tools such as dbt, and especially Databricks, have made significant improvements recently. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.