Avro Schema Manager#

Manage Apache Avro schemas across your data platform. Validates schema structure, checks forward/backward compatibility for safe evolution, audits namespace conventions, reviews schema registry configuration, and generates language-specific code stubs. Acts as a senior data engineer ensuring schema quality and safe evolution.

Usage#

Basic: Validate the Avro schemas in /path/to/schemas/ Focused: Check compatibility between schema v3 and v4 | Review namespace conventions | Generate Java POJOs from this schema | Plan migration for adding a field

How It Works#

Step 1: Discover Schema Files#

bash

find /path/to/project -name "*.avsc" -o -name "*.avdl" -o -name "*.avpr"
grep -r "schema.registry.url" /path/to/project --include="*.properties"
grep -rl "avro.schema\|AvroSchema\|fastavro" /path/to/project --include="*.py" --include="*.java"

Parses schema type (record, enum, fixed), namespace/name, fields with types/defaults/docs, logical types (date, timestamp, decimal, uuid), complex types (unions, arrays, maps), and cross-schema references.

Step 2: Validate Schema Structure#

text

Schema Validation: UserEvent (com.company.events.user)
  PASS: Valid record with namespace and documentation
  PASS: All fields have doc strings
  PASS: Logical types correct (timestamp-millis)
  PASS: Nullable fields use ["null", "string"] with default null
  WARN: event_id could use logicalType: uuid for semantic clarity
  WARN: Enum "EventType" is inline — extract to separate .avsc for reuse

Schema Validation: OrderCreated (com.company.events.order)
  FAIL: Nullable field wrong union order
    "discount_code": ["string", "null"]
    FIX: ["null", "string"], default: null (null-first convention)

  FAIL: Missing default on nullable field "referral_source"
    Type ["null", "string"] but no default — old producers cause errors
    FIX: Add "default": null

  FAIL: "amount" is bytes without logical type
    FIX: {"type": "bytes", "logicalType": "decimal", "precision": 10, "scale": 2}

  FAIL: Mixed naming — "firstName" vs snake_case elsewhere
    FIX: "first_name" with alias: {"aliases": ["firstName"]}

  WARN: 4/8 fields missing documentation

Step 3: Check Schema Compatibility#

text

Compatibility Analysis: UserEvent v3 -> v4 (mode: BACKWARD)

  1. ADD "device_type" (string, default: "unknown")
     BACKWARD: YES | FORWARD: YES | FULL: YES

  2. REMOVE "legacy_flag"
     BACKWARD: YES (consumers use default) | FORWARD: NO
     RISK: Consumers still reading legacy_flag get default/null
     ACTION: Verify no consumer depends on this field

  3. MODIFY "user_id": int -> long
     BACKWARD: NO | FORWARD: NO | FULL: NO
     BREAKING CHANGE — deserialization failures guaranteed
     FIX: Two-phase migration:
       Phase 1: Add "user_id_v2" (long), keep "user_id" (int)
       Phase 2: Migrate all consumers to user_id_v2
       Phase 3: Remove "user_id" in future version

  4. ADD enum symbol "REFUND" to EventType
     BACKWARD: YES | FORWARD: NO
     RISK: Consumers without default case in switch/match will throw

  VERDICT: FAIL — Schema Registry will REJECT under BACKWARD mode
  BLOCKING: Change 3 (type widening) must be resolved first

Step 4: Audit Namespace Conventions#

text

  8 namespaces found

  FAIL: "UserActivity" has no namespace — collision risk, default package
    FIX: Add namespace "com.company.events.user"

  FAIL: Inconsistent prefix: "events.user" vs "com.company.events.user"
    FIX: Standardize to com.company.<domain>.<subdomain>

  FAIL: "Config" uses too-broad "com.company"
    FIX: Use "com.company.common" or "com.company.config"

  FAIL: Schema "OrderItem" references "com.company.model.Product"
    but no .avsc file defines it — unversioned dependency
    FIX: Keep all schema files in repository

  RECOMMEND: Document namespace convention:
    com.company.events.*  (event schemas)
    com.company.model.*   (data model schemas)
    com.company.common    (shared types)

Step 5: Review Schema Registry#

text

  Confluent Schema Registry | 34 subjects | 127 versions
  Global compatibility: BACKWARD

  WARN: "internal-logs-value" set to NONE — any change accepted
    RISK: Breaking changes reach prod. FIX: Set BACKWARD minimum

  PASS: "payment-events-value" uses BACKWARD_TRANSITIVE
    Checks against ALL prior versions — good for critical data

  FAIL: 3 subjects with non-standard naming
    "UserEvent" (no -value suffix), "order.created.v2" (dots + version)
    FIX: Standardize to TopicNameStrategy: <topic>-key, <topic>-value

  WARN: "order-events-value" has 8 versions — review if all consumed
    Soft-delete unused versions after consumer migration

  FAIL: No schema validation in CI/CD
    FIX: Add PR gate check:
      curl -X POST schema-registry/compatibility/subjects/<sub>/versions/latest
      Block merge if compatibility fails

Step 6: Plan Schema Evolution#

text

  Safe path for adding "payment_method" to OrderCreated:

  Step 1: Add as nullable with default
    {"name": "payment_method", "type": ["null", "string"], "default": null}
    Compatible in ALL modes. Old producers: consumers get null.

  Step 2: Register new version — compatibility check passes
  Step 3: Deploy producers that populate the field
  Step 4: (Optional future) Make required — ONLY after all producers send it

  DANGEROUS changes requiring special handling:
    Rename field: NEVER directly — use aliases instead
    Change type: Add new field with new type, deprecate old
    Remove enum symbol: NEVER — prefix with DEPRECATED_ instead
    Reorder fields: SAFE in Avro (name-based), may break raw byte consumers

Step 7: Code Generation Guidance#

text

  Java: avro-maven-plugin generates SpecificRecord classes
  Python: fastavro parse_schema() + writer/reader
  TypeScript: avsc.Type.forSchema() for encoder/decoder
  Go: github.com/linkedin/goavro/v2 codec from schema JSON

  RECOMMEND: Automate in CI/CD build step
    avro-tools compile schema src/main/avro target/generated
    Never hand-edit generated classes

Step 8: Final Report#

text

# Avro Schema Management Report

## Overall Health Score: 61/100
  Schema structure: 7/10     Field conventions: 5/10
  Compatibility: 6/10        Namespaces: 4/10
  Registry config: 6/10      Evolution practices: 5/10
  CI/CD integration: 3/10    Documentation: 5/10

## Critical Issues
  1. int->long type change on user_id — BREAKING, registry rejects
  2. "UserActivity" has no namespace — collision risk
  3. No CI/CD compatibility validation
  4. Referenced schema "Product" not in repository
  5. Nullable field with wrong union order — deserialization risk

## High Priority
  6. Non-standard subject naming (3 subjects)
  7. "internal-logs" compatibility set to NONE
  8. No code generation automation
  9. Inline enums preventing cross-schema reuse
  10. 30% of fields missing documentation

Output#

• Per-schema validation with field-level checks and fixes
• Compatibility matrix for forward/backward/full between versions
• Namespace audit for organizational consistency
• Registry review covering config, naming, per-subject policies
• Evolution plan with safe migration steps for requested changes
• Code generation guidance for Java, Python, TypeScript, Go
• Health score 0-100 with per-category breakdown

Tips for Best Results#

• Point the agent at your schema directory (where .avsc files live)
• Provide both old and new schema versions for compatibility checks
• Specify compatibility mode needed (BACKWARD, FORWARD, FULL)
• Include consumer/producer code for skew detection
• Run before any schema change deployment as a gate check