It is technically possible to develop a connector that integrates Nintex with Databricks, but there are important limitations when trying to achieve this with Databricks Community Edition.โ
Connector Integration Overview
Nintex can be integrated with Databricks using third-party services, such as CData Connect Cloud, which enables Nintex workflows to operate directly on data stored in Databricks through standard connectors (often via SQL Server or web service actions). With commercial Databricks versions, it's straightforward, as advanced connectivity and security features (like token-based APIs and JDBC/ODBC endpoints) are fully supported.โ
Limitations of Databricks Community Edition
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Databricks Community Edition does not officially support Databricks Connect, which is needed for robust live connections and custom integrations.โ
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Vital features such as personal access token generation (needed by many integration platforms) are missing or restricted, making most enterprise-grade connectors incompatible.โ
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Community Edition lacks support for advanced workflows, version control, and some APIs, which further constrains integration options.โ
Workarounds and Options
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Some limited integrations may be achievable by exposing data via API endpoints (REST or web services) from Databricks notebooks and calling these endpoints from Nintex workflows using "Call a Web Service" actions.โ
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Advanced solutions, like using CData Connect Cloud, generally require JDBC/ODBC access and authentication tokens โ features found only in Pro or Premium Databricks editions, not Community Edition.โ
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For full workflow automation and native connectors, upgrading from Community Edition to a paid Databricks tier is recommended.โ
Summary Table
| Feature/Approach |
Community Edition |
Paid Edition |
| Databricks Connect |
Not Supported โ |
Supported โ |
| API Token Generation |
Restricted โ |
Available โ |
| JDBC/ODBC Connectivity |
Limited โ |
Full Support โ |
| Nintex Native Connector |
Not available โ |
Achievable โ |
| Third-party Cloud Connect |
Partially possible (Web API) โ |
Supported โ |
Conclusion
While basic integration may be possible through custom API or web service calls for development and learning purposes, any robust workflow automation between Nintex and Databricks is not feasible with Community Edition's current feature set. Upgrading to a commercial Databricks version is necessary for full integration capabilities and access to connectors.
