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Frequently asked questions

Here are some common questions about Putki.

Think of it like this:

  • Apache Hop is the open-source project, managed by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). It's the powerful, community-driven engine. Like the Linux kernel, it's a world-class piece of technology available to everyone.
  • know.bi is our company. We are a team of experts and leading contributors to the Apache Hop project. We are the "Red Hat" in this analogy.
  • Putki is our commercial product, built by know.bi. It is our enterprise-grade, supported, and secured distribution of Apache Hop, designed for mission-critical use in corporate environments.

You are paying for the assurances, security, and enhanced capabilities that enterprises require. Apache Hop is a fantastic tool; Putki makes it an enterprise-ready platform. With Putki, you get:

  • Enterprise-Grade Security: Features like advanced authentication/authorization, SSO, and role-based access control.
  • Guaranteed Support & SLAs: Direct access to the foremost experts for timely help when you need it most.
  • Service Packs: Security patches and critical bug fixes for specific versions, so you can maintain stability in production without needing to perform major upgrades.
  • High-Value Enterprise Connectors: Pre-built, fully supported integration with platforms like Shopify, HubSpot and Odoo that are not part of the open-source project.

Peace of Mind: Indemnification and the backing of a commercial entity.

We follow a clear and transparent "Open Core" principle:

  • Apache Hop gets everything needed for an individual developer or data engineer to be incredibly successful. This includes the core engine, all fundamental transforms, open-standard connectivity (JDBC, files, etc.), and community-driven connectors. Apache Hop will always be a complete, powerful, and usable platform on its own.

Putki gets features that are primarily relevant to teams and enterprises running Hop in a governed, multi-user environment. This includes features for security (like SSO), governance (like advanced auditing), collaboration, and connectivity to proprietary, enterprise-specific software systems.

Putki is developed and supported by the same team that actively contributes to Apache Hop. Revenue from Putki subscriptions and services funds our company and enables us to dedicate a significant portion of our developers’ time to the Apache Hop open-source project.

In practice, this means:

  • Our team includes 3 of the top 10 Apache Hop contributors

  • We contribute continuously to core engine improvements, bug fixes, new features, and documentation

  • We participate in design discussions, reviews, and long-term roadmap decisions within the Apache Hop community

Putki customers are therefore not only purchasing a supported enterprise solution, but also directly funding the ongoing development, stability, and evolution of Apache Hop itself. Our commitment is long-term: we actively build with Hop, support Hop users, and invest back into the project to ensure it remains robust, modern, and community-driven.

A Service Pack is a collection of critical security patches and regression fixes for a specific version of Apache Hop. In a fast-moving open-source project, the community is focused on the next major release. However, many large organizations need to run a stable version in production for an extended period. Our Service Packs provide the critical fixes you need to stay secure and stable, without forcing you to undergo a full platform upgrade.

This is what our Professional Services and Custom Development offerings are for. As a Putki customer, you can directly fund the development of features, connectors, or bug fixes that are critical to your business. This allows you to influence the roadmap and get the functionality you need, faster.