Fscanr

Fscanr is a cross-platform, open-source software platform designed to enable fast scanning and analysis of large text and data collections. It provides a modular pipeline that can be extended with scanners for text, binaries, and network data, along with processors for enrichment, pattern matching, and anomaly scoring. The system supports both streaming and batch processing, multi-threaded execution, and optional distributed operation via common cluster frameworks. A declarative workflow language allows users to define end-to-end processing pipelines, while a web-based interface offers search, visualization, and management of pipelines. Outputs include structured formats such as JSON, CSV, and Parquet, with integration options for databases and data lakes.

In terms of architecture, Fscanr comprises core components such as a Scanner, a Processor, and an Analyzer, connected by a pluggable data transport layer. Extensibility is provided through a plugin ecosystem, enabling new scanners, enrichers, and scoring models without altering core code. Privacy and security features include access controls, data masking, and audit logging.

History and reception: Fscanr originated as an academic collaboration to address scalable data scanning needs and was released as an open-source project. It has since gained use in research settings and data engineering workflows, praised for performance and modularity, while noting a learning curve for new users.

See also: data mining, log analysis, text mining, pattern matching, distributed computing.