Dagster vs Luigi

Developers should learn Dagster when building complex, maintainable data pipelines that require strong typing, testing, and observability, such as in data engineering, machine learning operations (MLOps), or ETL/ELT processes meets developers should learn luigi when they need to create robust, maintainable data pipelines for batch processing, such as aggregating logs, generating reports, or preparing data for machine learning models. Here's our take.

Dagster

Nice Pick

Developers should learn Dagster when building complex, maintainable data pipelines that require strong typing, testing, and observability, such as in data engineering, machine learning operations (MLOps), or ETL/ELT processes

Pros

• It is particularly useful in scenarios where data quality and lineage tracking are critical, as it integrates seamlessly with tools like dbt, Apache Airflow, and cloud data warehouses, enabling teams to manage dependencies and configurations declaratively
• Related to: apache-airflow, prefect

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Luigi

Developers should learn Luigi when they need to create robust, maintainable data pipelines for batch processing, such as aggregating logs, generating reports, or preparing data for machine learning models

Pros

• It is particularly useful in scenarios requiring dependency management, error recovery, and workflow visualization, making it a good choice for data engineering teams in companies like Spotify, Foursquare, and Stripe that handle large datasets
• Related to: python, apache-airflow

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Dagster is a platform while Luigi is a tool. We picked Dagster based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Dagster wins

Based on overall popularity. Dagster is more widely used, but Luigi excels in its own space.