Final answer:
The default partitioner in Apache Cassandra is the Murmur3Partitioner, which effectively distributes data across the cluster and minimizes hotspots. Other available partitioners are the RandomPartitioner and the ByteOrderedPartitioner.
Step-by-step explanation:
The default partitioner in an Apache Cassandra cluster is the Murmur3Partitioner. Apache Cassandra utilizes partitioners to determine how data is distributed across the nodes in the cluster. Partitioners convert the rows' partition keys into tokens, which are then used to assign rows to nodes.
When you set up an Apache Cassandra cluster, it's critical to choose an appropriate partitioner because it affects the performance and scalability of your database. The Murmur3Partitioner is the default because it provides a uniform distribution of data and minimizes hotspots, meaning that it prevents one or more nodes from having significantly more data than others.
The other partitioners available in Cassandra are the RandomPartitioner and the ByteOrderedPartitioner, but they are less commonly used due to their limitations in ensuring balanced data distribution compared to the Murmur3Partitioner.