Apache Camel is an open-source framework to exchange, route and transform data using various protocols. It is prepackaged with components for dealing with various backend systems and powerful routing and filter capabilities.
This presentation clarified the main concepts that defines Apache Camel: integration framework + enterprise integration patterns. Camel works using “routes” joining endpoints, using transformers, choices, etc. Tons of components make Camel a tool to connect everywhere out-of-the-box. It can use Java DSL using the Java language to define the routes, or Spring DSL defining routes in the XML, among others, and it can be embedded as a library in our application.
Video source: http://www.barcelonajug.org/2014/02/summary-apache-camel-conference.html