What is Apache Iceberg?

Apache Iceberg is an open table format designed to enhance data management capabilities in large-scale data lakes, addressing the limitations of older formats like Apache Hive by providing transactional consistency, schema evolution, and performance optimizations. It introduces features such as reduced metastore reliance, time travel and rollbacks, optimistic concurrency, hidden partitioning, and full DML support, making it ideal for analytics and AI workloads. Iceberg's architecture comprises advanced metadata files, snapshots, and manifests that track data changes and improve query efficiency, offering an alternative to traditional data warehouses by simplifying data architectures and enabling concurrent data usage without performance penalties. Supported by a growing community, Iceberg is particularly beneficial for companies handling petabyte-scale data, as it allows for efficient data management and processing without the complexities and costs associated with other data storage solutions. The format is part of an open data lakehouse architecture that includes high-performance query engines, commodity storage, and open file formats, providing a robust framework for enterprises seeking to blend analytics capabilities with storage efficiency.