ScyllaDB Developer Hackathon: Managing ScyllaDB Using CQL

During a ScyllaDB internal developer hackathon, a team focused on creating an API for managing ScyllaDB clusters using the native Cassandra Query Language (CQL), offering an alternative to the Java-based nodetool. This project aimed to leverage CQL's advantages, such as its native support within ScyllaDB, ease of understanding, and security features, to make management tasks like system status checks, repairs, and version queries more accessible and integrated. The team developed functionalities such as virtual tables for tabular nodetool commands, SQL-like CALL syntax for management operations, and functions for single-value commands, successfully achieving basic nodetool-like functionality through CQL. However, further integration into the ScyllaDB code base for production use is needed, and the team remains committed to supporting traditional nodetool operations while offering this new management option. The hackathon also served as a platform for discussing future improvements, such as better schema definitions and memory management, with more insights and developments expected at the upcoming ScyllaDB Summit.