The disadvantages of using Reactive Streams primarily revolve around the complexity of implementation, potential performance issues with mismatched producer-consumer speeds, and increased memory usage. Here are some specific drawbacks:
Complexity in Implementation: Implementing Reactive Streams can be non-trivial, especially when dealing with concurrent producers and consumers. This complexity arises from the need to manage backpressure and ensure that the system can handle varying rates of data flow without overwhelming any part of the system[2].
Overwhelmed Consumers: A common issue in systems using Reactive Streams is that a slower consumer may be overwhelmed by a faster producer. This situation requires careful management of backpressure to prevent the consumer from being flooded with more data than it can process[2].
Memory Intensity: Reactive programming, which includes Reactive Streams, tends to be more memory-intensive. This is because it involves managing streams of data over time, which requires storing these streams in memory. This can be a significant drawback in environments where memory resources are limited[4].
Steep Learning Curve: The paradigm shift required to effectively use Reactive Streams can be challenging, particularly for developers who are accustomed to traditional, imperative programming models. The asynchronous, non-blocking, and event-driven nature of Reactive Streams requires a different approach to design and debugging, which can initially be difficult to grasp[4]....
