Hi Sam, We developed the Spark Kernel with a focus on the newest version of the IPython message protocol (5.0) for the upcoming IPython 3.0 release.
We are building around Apache Spark's REPL, which is used in the current Spark Shell implementation. The Spark Kernel was designed to be extensible through magics ( https://github.com/ibm-et/spark-kernel/blob/master/docs/MAGICS.md), providing functionality that might be needed outside the Scala interpreter. Finally, a big part of our focus is on application development. Because of this, we are providing a client library for applications to connect to the Spark Kernel without needing to implement the ZeroMQ protocol. Signed, Chip Senkbeil From: Sam Bessalah <samkiller....@gmail.com> To: Robert C Senkbeil/Austin/IBM@IBMUS Date: 12/12/2014 04:20 PM Subject: Re: IBM open-sources Spark Kernel Wow. Thanks. Can't wait to try this out. Great job. How Is it different from Iscala or Ispark? On Dec 12, 2014 11:17 PM, "Robert C Senkbeil" <rcsen...@us.ibm.com> wrote: We are happy to announce a developer preview of the Spark Kernel which enables remote applications to dynamically interact with Spark. You can think of the Spark Kernel as a remote Spark Shell that uses the IPython notebook interface to provide a common entrypoint for any application. The Spark Kernel obviates the need to submit jars using spark-submit, and can replace the existing Spark Shell. You can try out the Spark Kernel today by installing it from our github repo at https://github.com/ibm-et/spark-kernel. To help you get a demo environment up and running quickly, the repository also includes a Dockerfile and a Vagrantfile to build a Spark Kernel container and connect to it from an IPython notebook. We have included a number of documents with the project to help explain it and provide how-to information: * A high-level overview of the Spark Kernel and its client library ( https://issues.apache.org/jira/secure/attachment/12683624/Kernel%20Architecture.pdf ). * README (https://github.com/ibm-et/spark-kernel/blob/master/README.md) - building and testing the kernel, and deployment options including building the Docker container and packaging the kernel. * IPython instructions ( https://github.com/ibm-et/spark-kernel/blob/master/docs/IPYTHON.md) - setting up the development version of IPython and connecting a Spark Kernel. * Client library tutorial ( https://github.com/ibm-et/spark-kernel/blob/master/docs/CLIENT.md) - building and using the client library to connect to a Spark Kernel. * Magics documentation ( https://github.com/ibm-et/spark-kernel/blob/master/docs/MAGICS.md) - the magics in the kernel and how to write your own. We think the Spark Kernel will be useful for developing applications for Spark, and we are making it available with the intention of improving these capabilities within the context of the Spark community ( https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/SPARK-4605). We will continue to develop the codebase and welcome your comments and suggestions. Signed, Chip Senkbeil IBM Emerging Technology Software Engineer