Pathway has developed a solution for processing streaming data in real time using small data sets, leveraging both Apache Kafka and Redpanda as data streaming platforms. The example provided involves creating a system to identify the top-rated movies for a video-on-demand service by processing ratings received through a Kafka stream and outputting the results to a CSV file. Pathway's approach allows for seamless integration and switching between Kafka and Redpanda, as Redpanda serves as a drop-in replacement for Kafka with the advantage of being simpler, faster, and more cost-effective. The practical application illustrates how Pathway can efficiently process data streams and update rankings dynamically. By using Pathway's connectors, which work identically for both Kafka and Redpanda, developers can maintain their existing codebase while taking advantage of Redpanda's efficiencies. Additionally, the text highlights the potential of combining machine learning with real-time data for immediate, actionable insights, such as dynamically mapping geofences or detecting sensor anomalies without predefined parameters.