Read Delta Sharing shared tables using Apache Spark DataFrames

This article provides syntax examples of using Apache Spark to query data shared using Delta Sharing. Use the deltasharing keyword as a format option for DataFrame operations.

Other options for querying shared data

You can also create queries that use shared table names in Delta Sharing catalogs registered in the metastore, such as those in the following examples:

SELECT * FROM shared_table_name

spark.read.table("shared_table_name")

For more on configuring Delta Sharing in Databricks and querying data using shared table names, see Read data shared using Databricks-to-Databricks Delta Sharing (for recipients).

You can use Structured Streaming to process records in shared tables incrementally. To use Structured Streaming, you must enable history sharing for the table. See ALTER SHARE. History sharing requires Databricks Runtime 12.1 or above.

If the shared table has change data feed enabled on the source Delta table and history enabled on the share, you can use change data feed while reading a Delta share with Structured Streaming or batch operations. See Use Delta Lake change data feed on Databricks.

Read with the Delta Sharing format keyword

The deltasharing keyword is supported for Apache Spark DataFrame read operations, as shown in the following example:

df = (spark.read
  .format("deltasharing")
  .load("<profile-path>#<share-name>.<schema-name>.<table-name>")
)

Read change data feed for Delta Sharing shared tables

For tables that have history shared and change data feed enabled, you can read change data feed records using Apache Spark DataFrames. History sharing requires Databricks Runtime 12.1 or above.

df = (spark.read
  .format("deltasharing")
  .option("readChangeFeed", "true")
  .option("startingTimestamp", "2021-04-21 05:45:46")
  .option("endingTimestamp", "2021-05-21 12:00:00")
  .load("<profile-path>#<share-name>.<schema-name>.<table-name>")
)

Read Delta Sharing shared tables using Structured Streaming

For tables that have history shared, you can use the shared table as a source for Structured Streaming. History sharing requires Databricks Runtime 12.1 or above.

streaming_df = (spark.readStream
  .format("deltasharing")
  .load("<profile-path>#<share-name>.<schema-name>.<table-name>")
)

# If CDF is enabled on the source table
streaming_cdf_df = (spark.readStream
  .format("deltasharing")
  .option("readChangeFeed", "true")
  .option("startingTimestamp", "2021-04-21 05:45:46")
  .load("<profile-path>#<share-name>.<schema-name>.<table-name>")
)