Possible inconsistency in DLT topic naming convention

[Watlas]

Expected Behavior

DLT topics should be created consistently, using a standardized suffix, preferably with a dash, for example, all ending with "-dlt".

Current Behavior

By default, DLT topics are created with ".dlt" at the end. However, when using the retry non-blocking solution, topics are created with "-dlt". This causes inconsistency in the naming of the topics.

Context

This inconsistency can cause issues when migrating from one solution to another. For example, if a user wants to migrate from a solution that uses blocking retry (which creates topics with ".dlt") to a non-blocking retry solution (which creates topics with "-dlt"), the old ".dlt" topics will become obsolete. The new system will no longer communicate with these topics due to the difference in naming.

According to, Kafka recommends not mixing dashes and dots in topic names to avoid conflicts. This mix can lead to issues in identifying and managing topics, further complicating system maintenance and monitoring.

Suggestiont

Standardize the creation of DLT topics to use a consistent naming convention, preferably using a dash suffix, such as "-dlt". This will ensure compatibility and avoid conflicts when transitioning between different retry solutions.