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Databricks Runtime 14.3 LTS+

UniForm technology enables multi-format lakehouse with read-only Iceberg views of Delta tables via Unity Catalog REST endpoint

Key Features

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REST Endpoint

Unity Catalog REST Integration

Unity Catalog exposes Iceberg REST catalog at /api/2.1/unity-catalog/iceberg, enabling external engines to read UniForm tables with standard Iceberg clients

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Innovative

UniForm Multi-Format Technology

UniForm enables the same table to be accessible as both Delta and Iceberg simultaneously, generating Iceberg metadata on every Delta commit

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External Engines

Read-Only Iceberg Access

External Iceberg engines get full SELECT and time-travel capabilities while Delta users retain complete DML operations within Databricks

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CoW Only

Copy-on-Write Semantics

Delta commits use Copy-on-Write semantics with no Iceberg delete files; external readers always see fully merged, materialized snapshots

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Asynchronous

Metadata Generation & Sync

Iceberg metadata generated asynchronously on every Delta commit with manual sync option via MSCK REPAIR TABLE … SYNC METADATA

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90
Full Support

Time Travel & Snapshot Queries

External engines can time-travel using standard Iceberg syntax with snapshot-ID or timestamp, enhanced with Delta version mapping properties

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Unity Catalog

Enterprise Security & Governance

Unity Catalog RBAC governs access with credential vending providing temporary, scoped cloud-storage credentials to external Iceberg clients

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60
Important Constraints

Current Limitations & Requirements

Tables with deletion vectors, streaming writes, or materialized views require purging/upgrade before Iceberg compatibility; Runtime 14.3 LTS+ required

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Databricks Iceberg Feature Matrix

Comprehensive breakdown of Iceberg capabilities in Databricks Runtime 14.3 LTS+

Dimension
Support Level
Implementation Details
Min Version
Catalog Integration
REST OnlyUnity Catalog
Unity Catalog REST endpoint for external engines; UniForm tables generate Iceberg metadata on Delta commits
14.3 LTS+
Read Operations
FullExternal Engines
Complete SELECT support via REST catalog or direct metadata paths for all Iceberg-compatible engines
14.3 LTS+
Write Operations
PartialDelta Internal
Managed Iceberg Tables support external writes; UniForm Delta tables read-only for Iceberg clients
16.4 LTS+
UniForm Technology
FullMulti-Format
Same table accessible as Delta and Iceberg simultaneously with automatic metadata generation
14.3 LTS+
Time Travel
FullStandard Syntax
Standard Iceberg time travel with snapshot-ID/timestamp plus Delta version mapping properties
14.3 LTS+
Storage Strategy
CoW OnlyCopy-on-Write
Copy-on-Write semantics with no Iceberg delete files; fully materialized snapshots
14.3 LTS+
Metadata Sync
AsyncAuto + Manual
Asynchronous generation on Delta commits with MSCK REPAIR TABLE … SYNC METADATA for immediate sync
14.3 LTS+
Security & Governance
FullUnity Catalog
Unity Catalog RBAC with credential vending for scoped, temporary cloud storage access
14.3 LTS+
Streaming Support
InternalDelta Only
Structured Streaming and Change Data Feed inside Databricks; no Iceberg streaming endpoints
14.3 LTS+
Format V3 Support
NoneV2 Only
UniForm targets Iceberg spec v2 only; no public v3 roadmap announced
N/A
Table Compatibility
LimitedUpgrade Required
Tables with deletion vectors, streaming writes, or materialized views need REORG/upgrade
14.3 LTS+
External Write Access
Read-OnlyREST Limitation
REST catalog provides read-only access; no external Iceberg DML operations
N/A

Showing 12 entries

Use Cases

Multi-Engine Lakehouse

Enable external analytics tools and engines to access Delta tables via standard Iceberg APIs

  • Business intelligence tools requiring Iceberg connectivity
  • Data science platforms with Iceberg client libraries
  • External Spark clusters needing read access to Delta tables
  • Third-party analytics services and visualization tools

Data Sharing & Federation

Share Delta table data across organizational boundaries with standardized Iceberg access

  • Cross-team data sharing with different tool preferences
  • Partner organizations requiring standard data access
  • Vendor integrations with Iceberg-based analytics
  • Data marketplace implementations with unified access

Migration & Modernization

Gradually migrate from legacy systems while maintaining backward compatibility

  • Transitioning from Hive tables to Delta with external tool support
  • Legacy analytics tools requiring Iceberg compatibility
  • Hybrid architectures during platform migrations
  • Risk mitigation during lakehouse transformation

Compliance & Governance

Provide auditable, read-only access for compliance and regulatory scenarios

  • Regulatory reporting with external audit tools
  • Compliance teams requiring independent data access
  • Data governance with Unity Catalog integration
  • Immutable data views for external stakeholders

Need Assistance?

If you have any questions or uncertainties about setting up OLake, contributing to the project, or troubleshooting any issues, we’re here to help. You can:

  • Email Support: Reach out to our team at hello@olake.io for prompt assistance.
  • Join our Slack Community: where we discuss future roadmaps, discuss bugs, help folks to debug issues they are facing and more.
  • Schedule a Call: If you prefer a one-on-one conversation, schedule a call with our CTO and team.

Your success with OLake is our priority. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any help or further clarification!