Coursera

Spark, Skew & Speed: Pipeline Performance Engineering Specialization

Coursera

Spark, Skew & Speed: Pipeline Performance Engineering Specialization

Engineer Faster, Smarter Data Pipelines.

Master Spark optimization, pipeline debugging, & performance engineering for production data systems

Hurix Digital

Instructor: Hurix Digital

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Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Advanced level

Recommended experience

4 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Get in-depth knowledge of a subject
Advanced level

Recommended experience

4 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Optimize Apache Spark jobs by analyzing execution plans, implementing strategic partitioning, & applying caching to deliver measurable runtime gains.

  • Diagnose and resolve data skew, shuffle inefficiencies, and pipeline bottlenecks using Spark UI analysis and proactive partition strategies.

  • Benchmark competing pipeline designs, automate transformation model generation, & apply configuration-driven scripting for scalable data operations.

  • Trace data anomalies to their source, debug Python pipeline failures using stack traces and logs, and implement systematic root cause analysis.

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Taught in English
Recently updated!

April 2026

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Specialization - 8 course series

Trace and Fix Data Anomalies

Trace and Fix Data Anomalies

Course 1, 1 hour

What you'll learn

  • Systematic root cause analysis requires methodical examination of each pipeline stage rather than reactive troubleshooting.

  • Data anomalies often originate from transformation logic errors, making code-level investigation essential for permanent fixes.

  • Effective data quality monitoring combines proactive dashboard observation with hands-on validation techniques.

  • Pipeline reliability depends on maintaining clear traceability from data sources through all transformation stages.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Data Pipelines
Category: Data Integrity
Category: Data Validation
Category: Data Transformation
Category: Dashboard
Category: Dependency Analysis
Category: Anomaly Detection
Category: Data Processing
Category: Data Quality
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Category: SQL
Debug Python Pipelines: Root Causes

Debug Python Pipelines: Root Causes

Course 2, 2 hours

What you'll learn

  • Advanced debugging is a systematic discipline that moves beyond trial-and-error to leverage sophisticated tools for efficient problem resolution.

  • Multithreaded debugging requires understanding execution flow patterns and correlation techniques to reconstruct complex failure scenarios.

  • Production debugging success depends on methodical analysis of runtime state, memory conditions, and thread interactions rather than intuition.

  • Effective debugging practices create repeatable processes that transform unpredictable failures into manageable, documented solutions.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Event Monitoring
Category: Failure Analysis
Category: Analysis
Category: Application Performance Management
Category: Integrated Development Environments
Category: Complex Problem Solving
Category: Root Cause Analysis
Optimize Query Performance for Data Success

Optimize Query Performance for Data Success

Course 3, 2 hours

What you'll learn

  • Proactive performance monitoring prevents system failures and ensures consistent user experience across production environments.

  • Systematic diagnosis of query bottlenecks requires understanding both query logic efficiency and underlying resource limitations.

  • Strategic resource allocation combines technical optimization with business requirements to maintain service level agreements.

  • Continuous performance analysis creates a feedback loop that improves system reliability over time.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Continuous Monitoring
Category: Database Management
Category: Service Level
Category: Query Languages
Category: Capacity Management
Category: Application Performance Management
Category: System Monitoring
Category: Operational Databases
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Performance Testing
Validate and Track Data History Confidently

Validate and Track Data History Confidently

Course 4, 2 hours

What you'll learn

  • Automated checksum validation strengthens data pipelines and detects errors early before they move downstream to impact business decisions.

  • Reusable SCD2 architecture lowers maintenance and ensures consistent historical tracking across data warehouses for reliable analytics.

  • Parameterized transforms support scalable engineering and adapt to changing needs without duplicating code or increasing technical debt.

  • Structured data reconciliation is vital for compliance, audit trails, and maintaining trust in analytics across all organizational levels.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Star Schema
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Category: Data Validation
Category: Data Warehousing
Category: Data Architecture
Category: Reconciliation
Category: Data Transformation
Category: Database Development
Category: Snowflake Schema
Category: Data Maintenance
Category: Data Integrity
Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Data Quality
Category: Data Mart
Optimize Spark Performance: Analyze & Accelerate

Optimize Spark Performance: Analyze & Accelerate

Course 5, 1 hour

What you'll learn

  • Performance optimization is a systematic process requiring analysis of data access patterns, not random configuration changes.

  • Strategic partitioning minimizes expensive network shuffles and is the foundation of scalable Spark applications.

  • Intelligent caching of reusable intermediate datasets can dramatically reduce computation costs and improve job reliability.

  • The Spark UI provides actionable insights that guide optimization decisions and enable data-driven performance improvements.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Apache Spark
Category: PySpark
Category: Data Processing
Category: Systems Analysis
Category: Data Pipelines
Fix Data Bottlenecks: Optimize Spark Performance

Fix Data Bottlenecks: Optimize Spark Performance

Course 6, 2 hours

What you'll learn

  • Performance bottlenecks in distributed systems often stem from uneven data distribution rather than insufficient computational resources.

  • Visual execution plan analysis is essential for identifying specific stages where data processing imbalances occur.

  • Proactive partition strategy selection prevents performance degradation more effectively than reactive optimization

  • Spark's shuffle.partitions configuration and broadcast join patterns are fundamental tools for sustainable pipeline optimization.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Performance Tuning
Category: Apache Spark
Category: PySpark
Category: Debugging
Category: Scalability
Category: Distributed Computing
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Data Processing
Category: Data Pipelines
Automate, Optimize, and Benchmark Data Pipelines

Automate, Optimize, and Benchmark Data Pipelines

Course 7, 2 hours

What you'll learn

  • Performance measurement and evidence-based decisions rely on comparing execution metrics to improve data engineering efficiency.

  • Config-driven model generation cuts manual work, keeps projects consistent, and supports scalable data transformation.

  • Pipeline optimization uses repeated measurement and programmatic fixes to deliver lasting performance gains.

  • Modern data engineering succeeds by creating reusable, maintainable systems that adapt to changing needs while preserving performance.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Performance Testing
Category: Data Processing
Category: Performance Analysis
Category: Statistical Analysis
Category: Benchmarking
Category: Data-Driven Decision-Making
Category: Data Modeling
Category: Performance Measurement
Category: Extract, Transform, Load
Transform, Analyze, and Optimize Your Data

Transform, Analyze, and Optimize Your Data

Course 8, 3 hours

What you'll learn

  • Batch data transformation converts raw semi-structured data into analysis-ready formats that support enterprise decisions.

  • Workload analysis guides database design by linking access patterns and query frequency to performance and cost gains.

  • Migration choices must rely on performance testing and quantitative analysis to ensure ROI-driven transformations.

  • System performance depends on storage, queries, and hardware, requiring holistic technical and business evaluation.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Apache Cassandra
Category: Database Management
Category: Apache Hive
Category: Operational Databases
Category: Data Architecture
Category: Database Design
Category: Data Wrangling
Category: Data Transformation
Category: Azure Synapse Analytics
Category: Amazon Redshift

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Instructor

Hurix Digital
Coursera
387 Courses33,948 learners

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