Apache Hadoop is a software library operated by the Apache Software Foundation, an open-source software publisher. Hadoop is a framework used for distributed processing of big data, especially across a clustered network of computers. It uses simple programming models and can be used with a single server as well as with installations that involve hundreds or even thousands of machines with their own computation and storage capabilities. The Hadoop software is used to deliver services across a network of computers, any one of which could crash. This is important in data management, machine learning, data warehousing, and other machine-intensive programming applications.

What are typical careers that use Hadoop?

Careers that use Hadoop include computer engineering, computer programming, computer science, and data analysis. Hadoop is typically used in programming and data analysis positions that work with big data. Hence, more and more careers call for an understanding of it. Data management, machine learning, and cloud storage systems run on Hadoop. As more work involves big data, the ability to use Hadoop to collect and analyze it becomes more important. Learning Hadoop will prepare you to use data or to communicate with colleagues who are managing it. Structuring data warehouses and designing management dashboards can improve operations in many types of organizations. Hadoop is specialized, but its use is becoming more widespread.

How can online courses help me learn Hadoop?

Online courses can help you learn Hadoop by introducing you to the basics of it, having you work through exercises and create programs that use it, and seeing how it connects to other parts of the data warehouse. Some courses require no programming experience. Others assume that you understand programming but need specific experience with Hadoop. Some courses are practical, offering hands-on experience and leading to the creations of programs that can be used right away. Others are theoretical and explain the nature of Hadoop and the underlying principles of big data. The courses build on each other, with some leading to Specializations and online degrees.

What are the benefits of taking an online Hadoop course?

Online Hadoop courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Hadoop skills. Choose from a wide range of Hadoop courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Hadoop courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Hadoop, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Hadoop Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Hadoop Course Catalog

University of California San Diego
Hadoop Platform and Application Framework
Skills you'll gain: Apache Hadoop, Big Data, Data Analysis, Apache Spark, Data Science, PySpark, Data Processing, Distributed Computing, Performance Tuning, Scalability
4
Rating, 4 out of 5 stars
3.3K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
IBM
Introduction to Big Data with Spark and Hadoop
Skills you'll gain: Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, PySpark, Apache Hive, Big Data, IBM Cloud, Kubernetes, Docker (Software), Scalability, Data Processing, Distributed Computing, SQL
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
417 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Johns Hopkins University
Big Data Processing Using Hadoop
Skills you'll gain: Apache Hadoop, Big Data, Apache Hive, Apache Spark, NoSQL, Data Infrastructure, File Systems, Data Processing, Data Management, Analytics, Data Science, Databases, SQL, Query Languages, Data Analysis Software, Data Architecture, Data Structures, Java Programming, Distributed Computing, Performance Tuning
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of California San Diego
Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Apache Spark, PySpark, Apache Hadoop, Data Integration, Exploratory Data Analysis, Big Data, Graph Theory, Data Pipelines, Data Modeling, Regression Analysis, Data Management, Applied Machine Learning, Data Infrastructure, Data Presentation, Scalability, Data Mining, Data Processing, Statistical Analysis, Databases, Data Architecture
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
14K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
NoSQL, Big Data, and Spark Foundations
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, MongoDB, PySpark, Machine Learning Methods, Apache Hive, Databases, Machine Learning Algorithms, Apache Cassandra, Big Data, Machine Learning, Generative AI, IBM Cloud, Applied Machine Learning, Kubernetes, Supervised Learning, Distributed Computing, Docker (Software), Database Management
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
720 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: [object Object]
IBM
IBM Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, SQL, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Web Scraping, Linux Commands, Database Design, IBM Cognos Analytics, MySQL, Apache Spark, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Jupyter, Generative AI, Professional Networking
Build toward a degree
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
56K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Google Cloud
Introduction to Cloud Dataproc: Hadoop and Spark on Google Cloud
Skills you'll gain: Apache Spark, Managed Services, Google Cloud Platform, Big Data, Apache Hadoop, Data Management, Servers
4
Rating, 4 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
Beginner · Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free
Coursera Instructor Network
Data Engineering: Pipelines, ETL, Hadoop
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Transformation, Apache Hive, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Infrastructure, Data Lakes, Data Architecture, Apache Spark, Data Integration, Data Processing, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Data Management
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Duke University
Spark, Hadoop, and Snowflake for Data Engineering
Skills you'll gain: PySpark, Databricks, Data Pipelines, Apache Spark, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Apache Hadoop, Data Architecture, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Quality, Data Integration, Data Processing, Data Management, DevOps, Data Manipulation, Distributed Computing, SQL
3.8
Rating, 3.8 out of 5 stars
48 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of California San Diego
Introduction to Big Data
Skills you'll gain: Big Data, Apache Hadoop, Scalability, Data Processing, Data Science, Distributed Computing, Unstructured Data, Data Analysis, Data Storage
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
11K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Packt
The Ultimate Hands-On Hadoop
Skills you'll gain: Apache Hadoop, Real Time Data, Apache Kafka, Apache Hive, Apache Spark, AWS Kinesis, Apache Cassandra, Big Data, Data Infrastructure, Database Systems, Data Integration, MongoDB, SQL, Data Processing, NoSQL, System Design and Implementation, Distributed Computing, Scalability
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Google Cloud
Data Engineering, Big Data, and Machine Learning on GCP
Skills you'll gain: Data Pipelines, Dataflow, Google Cloud Platform, Real Time Data, Data Lakes, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Dashboard, Data Warehousing, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Infrastructure, Cloud Storage, Big Data, Tensorflow, Unstructured Data, Data Integration, Data Processing, Data Visualization Software, Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, Cloud Computing
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
18K reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months