Apache Hop 2.17 is available!
After three months of intensive collaboration, testing, and refinement, Apache Hop 2.17 is here, closing 194 tickets across 18 contributors and delivering a release that balances new integrations with meaningful improvements to how data teams actually work.
At know.bi, we're proud to have contributed to this version. But more importantly, this release demonstrates what happens when an open-source community aligns around solving real problems: you get a platform that's more reliable, more intuitive, and better positioned to support modern data architectures at scale.
New in Apache Hop 2.17
MongoDB and Atlas support
Many organizations are shifting critical workloads to document databases. Apache Hop 2.17 now includes full support for MongoDB Atlas clusters and connections, meaning your data teams can integrate managed MongoDB environments without wrestling with connection pooling, SSL/TLS configuration, or cluster discovery.
In practice:
- Automatic cluster detection for Atlas deployments
- Simplified credential management for cloud-hosted MongoDB
- Built-in resilience for semi-structured and fast-changing datasets
- Scaling as your analytics workloads grow
For organizations with hybrid cloud architectures or those modernizing legacy data systems, MongoDB support removes a significant friction point in pipeline development.
Neo4j 5.x compatibility
As graph databases power increasingly sophisticated use cases, from fraud detection to recommendation engines to knowledge graphs, Apache Hop 2.17 upgrades to Neo4j 5.x, ensuring your graph-based pipelines remain performant and compatible with the latest Neo4j deployments.
This isn't just a version bump. It signals commitment to evolving integrations alongside the technologies your data teams depend on.
A redesigned interface built for productivity
The largest set of improvements in Apache Hop 2.17 focuses on how data engineers spend their day: building pipelines. The interface has been fundamentally redesigned to reduce context-switching and cognitive load.
File Explorer and Designer now unified
Previously, accessing project files required switching between different views. Apache Hop 2.17 merges the File Explorer and Designer into a single workspace.
You can now:
- Browse project files while building pipelines
- Search across project assets without leaving the editor
- Switch between files without losing your working context
We have also added a search function to quickly find files in a larger project.
Properties panel overhaul
Every option in the properties panel has been reviewed, renamed, and reorganized. The result is a cleaner interface with better discoverability.
New keyboard shortcut overlays help both new and experienced users work faster.
Error visibility in logs
When pipelines fail, errors are now highlighted in red across logs and console output (with auto-detect for color support).
Combined with improved logging infrastructure, this simple visual change significantly reduces the time to identify and fix production issues.
Git integration that works at your pace
Apache Hop 2.17 includes three meaningful Git improvements:
- Repository detection in parent directories: No more friction when your Git repo sits above your Hop project
- Automatic staging: Modified files already under version control are staged automatically
- Color-highlighted diffs: The Git information panel now shows diffs with visual emphasis, making code review faster
Stability and security
Behind the scenes, Apache Hop 2.17 includes significant improvements that matter most in production:
- Metadata Injection: Configuration reliability has improved, reducing runtime inconsistencies when using variable injection in complex pipelines.
- Dependency modernization: Apache Beam upgraded to 2.70.0, Neo4j to 5.x, and numerous security patches applied.
- Cloud-native readiness: Improved support for containerized deployments and managed identity scenarios (like Azure Blob Storage with managed identity, which now supports root folder browsing).
- Performance fixes: A significant issue causing performance degradation in the Filter Rows transform when comparing static values has been resolved.
Wins across the board
- Portuguese (Brazil) reaches 70% translation, graduating from beta status
- Database Lookup transform redesigned with tabs for better usability
- Select Values transform now respects field selections from previous pipeline steps
- Calculator transform adds Encode/Decode URL functions
- Salesforce metadata injection fixed to improve reliability
- Hop Server now supports pipeline/workflow execution via file paths
- MinIO plugin fixes improve cloud storage integration
- Checkboxes now support variables, with clear UI indicators
Numbers
- 194 tickets closed
- 18 contributors
- 5 official languages without beta designation
- Community growth: 3,812 LinkedIn followers (↑221), 990 Twitter/X followers (↑6), 1,590 YouTube subscribers (↑50)
Apache Hop 2.17 reflects a fundamental truth about mature data platforms: they're defined not just by flashy features, but by removing friction at every step.
Download Apache Hop 2.17 today
Collaboration and community
As always, this release was a true community effort.
We’re grateful to every contributor, reviewer, and tester who helped make Apache Hop 2.17 another strong step forward.
At know.bi, we remain committed to supporting the Apache Hop ecosystem.
Looking for reliable support to power your data projects?
Our enterprise team is here to help you get the most out of Apache Hop. Let’s connect and explore how we can support your success.