StarRocks and Apache Iceberg: OLake Go setup
StarRocks reads Iceberg tables through an external Iceberg catalog. Positional deletes are the format every StarRocks release reads.
Short answer. To query replicated data in StarRocks, run OLake Go with AWS Glue, Polaris, Lakekeeper, Hive Metastore or a Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) catalog, then create an Iceberg catalog in StarRocks for it. Add StarRocks as a target query engine and OLake Go writes positional deletes, because no released StarRocks version reads deletion vectors.
Key takeaways
- StarRocks reads OLake Go tables through an external Iceberg catalog on Glue, Polaris, Lakekeeper, Hive Metastore or JDBC.
- With StarRocks as a target query engine, OLake Go writes positional deletes, the format every StarRocks release reads.
- The compatibility matrix compares StarRocks with the other engines.
Last reviewed October 2026.
How OLake Go gets data into StarRocks
OLake Go uses change data capture (CDC) where the source has it. It commits Iceberg tables to the catalog. StarRocks reads Polaris and Lakekeeper as REST (representational state transfer) catalogs and AWS Glue directly.
No guide ends in StarRocks yet. The compatibility matrix compares it with the other engines.
When to use it
- You run StarRocks for analytics and want replicated tables beside its internal tables.
- The catalog is Glue, Polaris, Lakekeeper, Hive Metastore or JDBC.
When not to use it
- Another engine on the job reads only deletion vectors, such as Databricks under Unity Catalog.
- You run StarRocks before 3.5.19 and the tables use equality deletes with NULL keys. A bug there was fixed in 3.5.19.
Catalogs StarRocks reads
| Catalog | StarRocks reads | How |
|---|---|---|
| AWS Glue | Yes | iceberg.catalog.type glue |
| Apache Polaris | Yes | REST catalog with OAuth2 |
| Lakekeeper | Yes | REST catalog with OAuth2 |
| Hive Metastore | Yes | Hive Metastore |
| JDBC | Yes | JDBC catalog (same catalog name as OLake Go) |
Delete formats StarRocks reads
| Equality deletes (v2) | Positional deletes (v2) | Deletion vectors (v3) |
|---|---|---|
| Partial | Yes | No |
StarRocks reads position deletes, and equality deletes from 3.2.5 (a NULL-key bug was fixed in 3.5.19). No released version reads deletion vectors. Set StarRocks as a target query engine on the OLake Go job and OLake Go picks a format it reads; with StarRocks as the only reader that is positional deletes (v2).
Sources: StarRocks: Iceberg catalog (checked 2026-10-31).
Tested guides for StarRocks
No guide ends in StarRocks yet.
Frequently asked questions
Does StarRocks read Iceberg deletion vectors?
No released version reads them, so OLake Go writes positional deletes for StarRocks.
Which StarRocks version reads equality deletes?
StarRocks 3.2.5 and later, with a NULL-key bug fixed in 3.5.19.
Can StarRocks read a JDBC catalog that OLake Go writes?
Yes, when StarRocks uses the same catalog name as OLake Go.