> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.siftstack.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Step 1: Discuss options to live stream data

export const MintTable = ({columns = [], rows = [], columnWidths = []}) => {
  const pushTextWithLineBreaks = (parts, text, keyBase) => {
    const segments = String(text).split(/\\n|\n/);
    segments.forEach((segment, idx) => {
      if (segment) {
        parts.push(<span key={`${keyBase}-text-${idx}`}>{segment}</span>);
      }
      if (idx < segments.length - 1) {
        parts.push(<br key={`${keyBase}-br-${idx}`} />);
      }
    });
  };
  const parseMarkdown = text => {
    if (text === null || text === undefined) return "";
    const str = String(text);
    const parts = [];
    let lastIndex = 0;
    const pattern = /(`[^`]+`|\*\*[^*]+\*\*|\*[^*]+\*|\[([^\]]+)\]\(([^)]+)\))/g;
    let match;
    while (true) {
      match = pattern.exec(str);
      if (match === null) {
        break;
      }
      if (match.index > lastIndex) {
        pushTextWithLineBreaks(parts, str.substring(lastIndex, match.index), `before-${lastIndex}`);
      }
      const fullMatch = match[0];
      if (fullMatch.startsWith("`") && fullMatch.endsWith("`")) {
        parts.push(<code key={match.index}>{fullMatch.slice(1, -1)}</code>);
      } else if (fullMatch.startsWith("**") && fullMatch.endsWith("**")) {
        parts.push(<strong key={match.index}>{fullMatch.slice(2, -2)}</strong>);
      } else if (fullMatch.startsWith("*") && fullMatch.endsWith("*")) {
        parts.push(<em key={match.index}>{fullMatch.slice(1, -1)}</em>);
      } else if (fullMatch.startsWith("[")) {
        const linkText = match[2];
        const linkUrl = match[3];
        parts.push(<a key={match.index} href={linkUrl} className="text-black-600 dark:text-black-400">
            {linkText}
          </a>);
      }
      lastIndex = pattern.lastIndex;
    }
    if (lastIndex < str.length) {
      pushTextWithLineBreaks(parts, str.substring(lastIndex), `tail-${lastIndex}`);
    }
    if (parts.length > 0) {
      return parts;
    }
    const plainParts = [];
    pushTextWithLineBreaks(plainParts, str, "plain");
    return plainParts.length ? plainParts : str;
  };
  const safeColumns = Array.isArray(columns) ? columns : [];
  const safeRows = Array.isArray(rows) ? rows : [];
  const safeColumnWidths = Array.isArray(columnWidths) ? columnWidths : [];
  const hasColumnWidths = safeColumnWidths.some(w => w !== null && w !== undefined && w !== "");
  const toCssWidth = width => typeof width === "number" ? `${width}px` : String(width);
  const getColumnStyle = idx => {
    const rawWidth = safeColumnWidths[idx];
    if (rawWidth === null || rawWidth === undefined || rawWidth === "") {
      return undefined;
    }
    const width = toCssWidth(rawWidth);
    return {
      width,
      minWidth: width
    };
  };
  const containerStyle = hasColumnWidths ? undefined : {
    overflowX: "auto"
  };
  const tableStyle = hasColumnWidths ? {
    tableLayout: "fixed",
    width: "100%"
  } : {
    width: "max-content",
    minWidth: "100%"
  };
  if (!Array.isArray(columns) || !Array.isArray(rows) || !Array.isArray(columnWidths)) {
    console.warn("MintTable received invalid props:", {
      columns,
      rows,
      columnWidths
    });
  }
  if (!safeColumns.length && !safeRows.length) {
    return null;
  }
  return <div className="mint-table-container" style={containerStyle}>
      <table style={tableStyle}>
        {hasColumnWidths && <colgroup>
            {safeColumns.map((_, idx) => {
    const style = getColumnStyle(idx);
    return <col key={idx} style={style} />;
  })}
          </colgroup>}
        <thead>
          <tr>
            {safeColumns.map((col, idx) => <th key={idx} className="text-left" style={getColumnStyle(idx)}>
                <b>{parseMarkdown(col)}</b>
              </th>)}
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          {safeRows.map((row, rIdx) => {
    const safeRow = Array.isArray(row) ? row : [];
    return <tr key={rIdx}>
                {safeRow.map((cell, cIdx) => <td key={cIdx} style={getColumnStyle(cIdx)}>
                    {parseMarkdown(cell)}
                  </td>)}
              </tr>;
  })}
        </tbody>
      </table>
    </div>;
};

## Overview

Before we learn how to observe live-streamed data in Sift, let's explore in this step the different options Sift offers for live-streaming data into Sift.

## Options

Sift supports multiple options for ingesting data as it is generated in real time. The following table summarizes each live-streaming method, including the type of data it accepts and the scenarios in which it is typically used.

<MintTable
  columns={['Method', 'Formats', 'When to use']}
  columnWidths={['10%', '5%', '10%']}
  rows={[
[
  'Schemaless REST API',
  'Schemaless payloads; no predefined schema required',
  'Use this option if you want to send live data and do not have a predefined schema and do not require high performance. \n\nBest for simple, low-volume live data that does not need advanced types.',
],
[
  'Client libraries \n\n `sift_client` (Python) \n\n `sift_stream` (Rust)',
  'Schema-based live data using Sift message types',
  'Use this option if you want to send live data and you have a schema, need high-performance streaming, robustness, and protection against data loss, and are comfortable converting your message types to Sift message types.',
],
[
  'gRPC Protocol Buffer',
  'Schema-based live data using protocol buffer definitions',
  'Use this option if you want to send live data but your preferred language is not supported by the provided client libraries (Python, Rust, or Go). \n\nAllows you to use the protobuf files directly to build your own integration in any gRPC-supported language. [Learn more](../../api/clients/generate-a-client-with-buf).',
],
[
  'Sift Proxy (`sift_proxy`)',
  'Schema-based live data using TCP or MQTT',
  'Use this option if you want to send live data and your platform does not support gRPC, and you are comfortable running and managing a proxy on your machine. Currently supports a Sift-based TCP protocol and MQTT. Other protocols can be added per request.',
],
]}
/>