Presto Server Types

When it comes to Presto Server Types, Coordinators and workers are the two types of Presto servers. Here’s a look at each server type in more detail.

A Presto coordinator parses statements, plans queries, and manages Presto worker nodes. A Presto installation is also the node to which a client connects to submit statements for execution. Every Presto installation must have a Presto coordinator alongside one or more Presto workers. For development or testing purposes, a single instance of Presto can be configured to perform both roles.

The coordinator keeps track of the activity on each worker and coordinates the execution of a query. The coordinator creates a logical model of a query involving a series of stages, which are then translated into a series of connected tasks running on a cluster of Presto workers.

A Presto worker is actually a server. Its basic job is to execute tasks assigned by the coordinator and to process data. When it starts working, it alerts the discovery server, which makes it available to the coordinator. The worker then obtains the data from connectors and exchanges data with the connectors. The coordinator then takes the results from the worker and sends those results back to the client.

Workers use an HTTP-based protocol to communicate with both the coordinator and other workers.