Apache Spark Certification 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In customer mode, the Spark driver starts on the machine where the client application is run, which is often referred to as the local or customer machine. This means that the driver program is executed in the same environment as the client submitting the job.

This setup is particularly useful for development and testing purposes, as it allows for immediate interaction with the Spark application from the client without the overhead of managing distributed resources for the driver itself. The client interacts directly with the Spark cluster to request resources and execute tasks, while the driver coordinates the execution of these tasks by communicating with the cluster manager and utilizing the worker nodes.

In contrast, the other options present scenarios that are not aligned with how customer mode operates. For instance, running in a distributed manner across nodes refers to cluster mode, where the driver is managed by the cluster and is not necessarily tied to the client machine. A dedicated server suggests a more isolated environment specifically designated for Spark processes, which again veers from the direct interaction characteristic of customer mode. Finally, using an external cloud platform does not specifically apply to customer mode as it does not define the driver's location but rather the environment in which Spark can operate.