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
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
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
Read-Only Iceberg Access
External Iceberg engines get full SELECT and time-travel capabilities while Delta users retain complete DML operations within Databricks
Copy-on-Write Semantics
Delta commits use Copy-on-Write semantics with no Iceberg delete files; external readers always see fully merged, materialized snapshots
Metadata Generation & Sync
Iceberg metadata generated asynchronously on every Delta commit with manual sync option via MSCK REPAIR TABLE … SYNC METADATA
Time Travel & Snapshot Queries
External engines can time-travel using standard Iceberg syntax with snapshot-ID or timestamp, enhanced with Delta version mapping properties
Enterprise Security & Governance
Unity Catalog RBAC governs access with credential vending providing temporary, scoped cloud-storage credentials to external Iceberg clients
Current Limitations & Requirements
Tables with deletion vectors, streaming writes, or materialized views require purging/upgrade before Iceberg compatibility; Runtime 14.3 LTS+ required
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