Open table formats are file formats tailored to store vast datasets in distributed data processing systems. They streamline data storage with features like:
- Columnar storage for analytical workloads
- Compression for reduced storage costs and improved performance
- Schema evolution for adapting to changing data structures
- ACID compliance, ensuring data integrity
- Support for transactional operations
- Time travel capabilities for historical data querying
- Seamless integration with various data processing frameworks and ecosystems
These characteristics collectively enable the construction of scalable, dependable, and efficient data processing pipelines, making open table formats preferred options in contemporary data architectures and analytics workflows.