Audience
Data engineers and backend developers needing a solution to run scalable analytics over large datasets stored in R2 using SQL
About R2 SQL
R2 SQL is Cloudflare’s serverless, distributed analytics query engine (currently in open beta) that enables you to run SQL queries over Apache Iceberg tables stored in R2 Data Catalog without needing to manage your own compute clusters. It is built to efficiently query large volumes of data by leveraging metadata pruning, partition-level statistics, file and row-group filtering, and Cloudflare’s globally distributed compute infrastructure to parallelize execution. The system works by integrating with R2 object storage and an Iceberg catalog layer, so you can ingest data via Cloudflare Pipelines into Iceberg tables, and then query that data with minimal overhead. Queries can be issued via the Wrangler CLI or HTTP API (with an API token granting permissions across R2 SQL, Data Catalog, and storage). During the open beta period, using R2 SQL itself is not billed, only storage and standard R2 operations incur charges.
Other Popular Alternatives & Related Software
Cloudflare
Cloudflare is the foundation for your infrastructure, applications, and teams. Cloudflare secures and ensures the reliability of your external-facing resources such as websites, APIs, and applications. It protects your internal resources such as behind-the-firewall applications, teams, and devices. And it is your platform for developing globally scalable applications. Your website, APIs, and applications are your key channels for doing business with your customers and suppliers. As more and more shift online, ensuring these resources are secure, performant and reliable is a business imperative. Cloudflare for Infrastructure is a complete solution to enable this for anything connected to the Internet. Behind-the-firewall applications and devices are foundational to the work of your internal teams. The recent surge in remote work is testing the limits of many organizations’ VPN and other hardware solutions.
Learn more about Cloudflare
Apache Iceberg
Iceberg is a high-performance format for huge analytic tables. Iceberg brings the reliability and simplicity of SQL tables to big data, while making it possible for engines like Spark, Trino, Flink, Presto, Hive and Impala to safely work with the same tables, at the same time. Iceberg supports flexible SQL commands to merge new data, update existing rows, and perform targeted deletes. Iceberg can eagerly rewrite data files for read performance, or it can use delete deltas for faster updates. Iceberg handles the tedious and error-prone task of producing partition values for rows in a table and skips unnecessary partitions and files automatically. No extra filters are needed for fast queries, and the table layout can be updated as data or queries change.
Learn more about Apache Iceberg
Cloudflare R2
Cloudflare R2 is a global object storage service that allows developers to store large amounts of unstructured data without the costly egress bandwidth fees associated with typical cloud storage services. It supports multiple scenarios, including storage for cloud-native applications, web content, podcast episodes, data lakes, and outputs for large batch processes such as machine learning model artifacts or datasets. R2 offers features like location hints to optimize data access, CORS configuration for interacting with objects, public buckets to expose contents directly to the Internet, and bucket-scoped tokens for granular access control. It integrates with Cloudflare Workers, enabling developers to perform authentication, route requests, and deploy edge functions across a network of over 330 data centers. Additionally, R2 supports Apache Iceberg through its data catalog, transforming object storage into a fully functional data warehouse without management overhead.
Learn more about Cloudflare R2
Apache Impala
Impala provides low latency and high concurrency for BI/analytic queries on the Hadoop ecosystem, including Iceberg, open data formats, and most cloud storage options. Impala also scales linearly, even in multitenant environments. Impala is integrated with native Hadoop security and Kerberos for authentication, and via the Ranger module, you can ensure that the right users and applications are authorized for the right data. Utilize the same file and data formats and metadata, security, and resource management frameworks as your Hadoop deployment, with no redundant infrastructure or data conversion/duplication. For Apache Hive users, Impala utilizes the same metadata and ODBC driver. Like Hive, Impala supports SQL, so you don't have to worry about reinventing the implementation wheel. With Impala, more users, whether using SQL queries or BI applications, can interact with more data through a single repository and metadata stored from source through analysis.
Learn more about Apache Impala
Pricing
Starting Price:
Free
Free Version:
Free Version available.
Company Information
Cloudflare
Founded: 2009
United States
developers.cloudflare.com/r2-sql/
Videos and Screen Captures
Other Useful Business Software
Fully Managed MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
Cloud SQL handles your database ops end to end, so you can focus on your app.
Product Details
Platforms Supported
Cloud
Training
Documentation
In Person
Videos
Support
Phone Support
Online
R2 SQL Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What kinds of users and organization types does R2 SQL work with?
R2 SQL works with these users and organization types: Mid Size Business, Small Business, Enterprise, Freelance, Nonprofit, Government, and Startup.
Q: What languages does R2 SQL support in their product?
R2 SQL supports these languages: English.
Q: What kind of support options does R2 SQL offer?
R2 SQL offers support via phone support and online.
Q: What other applications or services does R2 SQL integrate with?
R2 SQL integrates with: Apache Iceberg, Cloudflare, and SQL.
Q: Does R2 SQL have an API?
Yes, R2 SQL has an API.
Q: What type of training does R2 SQL provide?
R2 SQL provides training in the form of documentation, in person, and videos.
Q: How much does R2 SQL cost?
Pricing for R2 SQL starts at Free.
