Storage — where data lives

Open Table Formats

4 open standards for Open Table Formats in a modern data architecture, each with an opinionated judgement: Adopt, Situational, Assess, or Caution.

Start with Iceberg.

Adopt 1 standard

The standard to reach for in new work. Proven, multi-vendor, clearly the default for its slot.

  • Iceberg — Apache Iceberg

    Default open table format for new lakes; multi-vendor catalog support and ASF governance.

    Apache Software Foundation

Situational 1 standard

The right answer in some contexts but not others. Pick deliberately based on the constraint.

  • Delta — Delta Lake

    Reach-For if you're on Databricks; Situational elsewhere.

    Linux Foundation (originally Databricks)

Assess 2 standards

Promising but not yet proven for production-default use. Track it and prototype, but don't commit your architecture.

  • Hudi — Apache Hudi

    Third-place table format; legitimate CDC-upsert use cases but lost the default slot.

    Apache Software Foundation

  • Lance

    AI/ML-optimised columnar format; trajectory good, adoption concentrated.

    Lance community (independent open source, LF-inspired governance)

More in Storage

Storage covers where data lives.

See Open Table Formats in context

These standards are one panel of the interactive Data Landscape, which maps every open standard a modern data architecture is built on. The underlying data is a single JSON file; disagree with a judgement? Open an issue.