A method for accelerating distributed stream processing. The method includes allocating a hardware accelerator to a topology for distributed stream processing. The topology includes a spout and a plurality of bolts. The spout is configured to prepare a plurality of tuples. The plurality of bolts are configured to process the plurality of tuples and include at least one proxy bolt. The proxy bolt is configured to perform a proxy operation on an input tuple of the plurality of tuples. The method further includes obtaining a customized hardware accelerator by customizing the hardware accelerator based on the proxy operation, sending the input tuple from the proxy bolt to the customized hardware accelerator, generating an output tuple of the plurality of tuples by performing the proxy operation on the input tuple in the customized hardware accelerator, and sending the output tuple from the customized hardware accelerator to the proxy bolt.