Businesses leverage open-source job schedulers and workload automation tools to automate IT tasks without paying licensing costs or getting locked in to a specific vendor.
See top open-source job schedulers with their GitHub links, license types, and stars on GitHub:
List of the top open-source job schedulers and workload automation tools
The following is a sortable list of the top open-source job schedulers and WLA tools:
Dolphin
GitHub
Agenda
GitHub
Quartz
GitHub
Dkron
GitHub
Cronicle
GitHub
| Tool | Source code | Stars on Github | License | OS/Environment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin | GitHub | 12.4k | Apache 2.0 | |
| Agenda | GitHub | 9.3k | MIT | OSX, Linux, Windows |
| Quartz | GitHub | 6.2k | Apache 2.0 | |
| Dkron | GitHub | 4.2k | GPL-3.0 | Linux, OSX and Windows |
| Cronicle | GitHub | 3.5k | MIT | |
| SQL Jobber | GitHub | 407 | MIT | MySQL, Postgres, ClickHouse |
| Schedulix | GitHub | 118 | AGPL-3.0 | |
| JS7 JobScheduler | GitHub | 20 | GPL-3.0 | Windows, Linux, AIX, Solaris, MacOS |
Top open-source job schedulers
Dolphin Scheduler
Apache DolphinScheduler is an open-source workflow orchestration tool designed for data processing workflows. It supports DAG-based visual workflow creation and provides scalability, multi-tenancy, and built-in task types to manage various data workflows. They claim that they provide 30+ types of jobs out of box.
Figure 1: Dolphin Scheduler
Agenda Scheduler
Agenda is a job scheduling library for Node.js, using MongoDB for persistence. It allows cron-style and readable job scheduling, job prioritization, concurrency control, and includes lifecycle event hooks for custom logic execution. It suits applications needing job scheduling within a Node.js environment.
Quartz Scheduler
Quartz is an open-source job scheduling library for Java applications, supporting various scheduling needs with flexible intervals and cron expressions. It has options for persistence, clustering for load balancing, and listener interfaces for job event handling. Quartz Scheduler claims that they offer enterprise-class features, such as support for JTA transactions and clustering.
Dkron Scheduler
Dkron is a job scheduling system for cloud environments, designed for distributed and fault-tolerant operations. It leverages the Raft algorithm for consensus, supports multi-node job targeting, and provides a plugin system for extensibility. Dkron runs on major platforms and is used for managing jobs across clusters. They claim that it is a job scheduler with no single point of failure (SPOF).
Figure 2: Dkron Scheduler
Closed-source enterprise-focused alternatives
You may consider enterprise job scheduling software which includes closed-source options if your organization:
- manages complex, enterprise workloads.
- is open to using proprietary software.
This list compares enterprise-grade schedulers such as ActiveBatch. These solutions have been used by many Fortune 500 enterprises and delivered results for high-scale, enterprise workloads.
| Vendor | Ratings* |
|---|---|
| ActiveBatch | 4.4 based on 251 reviews |
| RunMyJobs | 4.8 based on 140 reviews |
| Fortra’s JAMS | 4.7 based on 142 reviews |
| Stonebranch | 4.8 based on 79 reviews |
| VisualCron | 4.7 based on 140 reviews |
*Vendors are sorted according to the number of reviews they have received on B2B platforms such as G2 and Capterra, except sponsors, whose links are provided in the table.
What to look out for when choosing an open-source job scheduler
Here are a few recommendations to consider while choosing an open-source job scheduler and WLA solution:
- Check the tool’s adoption rate: The number of contributors on Github as well as community members that answer user questions indicate the adoption rate of open source tools. The more members in the community, the more assistance you can get if you encounter bugs or require help.
- Check the features of the job scheduler: Most open-source job schedulers include features to initiate and execute tasks at the designated time. However, if you will be using the job scheduler or WLA tool to automate sensitive tasks with privileged data, it is important to find a tool that includes monitoring features to generate alerts and audit trails.
- Consider closed source options as well. In terms of functionality or other aspects, you may be able to find a closed source solution that better fits your requirements. For example, here is a list of closed source job schedulers focused on data warehouse automation.
Benefits of open-source job schedulers and workload automation tools
Job schedulers and workload automation (WLA) tools are software businesses use to automatically schedule, execute, and monitor workloads across different business platforms. These tools have numerous use cases in IT, HR, and accounting, including the automation of ETL, FTPs, P&Ls, and data warehousing.
Open source job schedulers and WLA provide users with the source code of the tool, enabling them to:
- modify the code and customize the tools according to business needs
- collaborate with community members to share codes, address bugs, and learn software hacks
- avoid vendor lock-in
In addition, WLA tools are commonly utilized for managing complex file transfers involving multiple parties exchanging large files regularly. However, businesses that solely require complex file transfers may find Managed File Transfer (MFT) solutions more suitable.
For more on job schedulers, workload automation and orchestration tools
To find a tool that fits your business needs, you can start by scrolling through our data-driven list of job schedulers and workload automation tool, and explore our comprehensive hub of automation solutions which you can leverage in your digital transformation journey.
To explore orchestration tools follow the links below:
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