The Evolution of Apache Iceberg, Databricks and Snowflake (Unity catalog and Polaris)

Apache Iceberg has rapidly emerged as a leading open table format for managing large-scale data storage and processing. Its development has addressed many of the limitations inherent in older file formats, making it a crucial tool for modern data platforms. This article provides a brief overview of Apache Iceberg and explores its key milestones.

What is Apache Iceberg?

Apache Iceberg is an innovative table format designed to handle the demands of large-scale data environments. It introduces several key features, including:

• ACID Transactions: Ensuring data integrity and consistency even in large-scale operations.
• Complex Data Type Support: Handling nested and complex data types seamlessly.
• Integration with Apache Hadoop: Enhancing compatibility and simplifying data movement across systems without complex ETL operations.
• Columnar Format: Providing efficient read and write operations, well-suited for analytical workloads.
• Incremental Data Ingestion: Allowing efficient updates to large datasets.
• Efficient Data Pruning: Reducing the volume of data scanned during queries to improve performance.

Designed with these capabilities, Iceberg tables offer a practical solution for modern data challenges, facilitating seamless data management and analytical…