---
name: "confluent-kafka-avro-schema-registry"
description: "Enforce strict schema evolution, backward compatibility, and binary serialization in Kafka."
metadata:
  author: "Confluent"
  version: "1.0.0"
  runtime_compatibility:
    - "codex"
    - "claude-code"
    - "cursor"
    - "windsurf"
triggers:
  - "register avro schema kafka"
  - "check schema compatibility confluent"
  - "serialize avro python kafka"
permissions:
  fs_read: true
  fs_write: "workspace"
  shell_exec: false
  net_access: false
---

# Confluent Schema Registry & Avro Serialization

Integrates Kafka with Confluent Schema Registry: defining Apache Avro schemas (.avsc), configuring BACKWARD / FULL compatibility rules, serializing messages with magic bytes, and preventing corrupt payloads.

## When to Invoke
Invoke this skill whenever you need to:
- register avro schema kafka
- check schema compatibility confluent
- serialize avro python kafka

## Execution SOP & Rules
1. Define Avro schema with namespace, record name, doc, and strictly typed fields with default values.
2. Register schema via HTTP POST /subjects/{topic}-value/versions or via confluent-kafka-python.
3. Use AvroSerializer and AvroDeserializer configured with SchemaRegistryClient.
4. Test schema compatibility using /compatibility/subjects/{subject}/versions/latest before deploying changes.

## Verification Checklist
- Run local linting, syntax validation, and type-checks before reporting completion.
- Ensure all created or modified files adhere to workspace boundaries and avoid uncommitted secrets.
- Verify tests or build commands exit cleanly with return code 0.