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Delta Lake

ANALYTICS
Velocity5.0

Open table format bringing ACID transactions to data lakes

delta.io ↗

Delta Lake runs parallel 3.x and 4.x maintenance tracks while 4.4.0 release prep lands

data-lakehouseapache-sparkdata-engineeringbug-fixespatch-release
◆Current state
Delta Lake is operating in dual-track maintenance mode: the 3.3.x line is receiving backported correctness fixes covering transaction log retention, deletion vector caching in Delta Sharing, and S3 key randomization, while the 4.x line is consolidating toward a 4.4.0 release. The changelog is heavily diluted by automated DBR kernel build entries that carry no user-visible change. Real signal remains sparse but targeted — each numbered patch release addresses specific production failure modes rather than adding surface area.
◆Where it's heading
The project is converging on the 4.4.0 milestone, with the version-bump prep PR already merged. The 4.x line is hardening around Apache Spark 4.x compatibility, Unity Catalog integration, and the delta-connect stack, while 3.3.x continues receiving correctness backports for the substantial user base still on Spark 3. The dual-track cadence reflects an ecosystem split between legacy Spark 3 deployments and teams actively migrating to Spark 4.
◆Prediction
A 4.4.0 full release with complete changelog is imminent — the version prep PR has merged and the tag is queued. Expect continued DBR build noise alongside it, and likely a 3.3.4 patch if additional regressions surface from the 3.3.3 correctness fixes.

◆Recent moves

  1. 7d ago

    DBR Kernel Build 4.1.0-20260908

    Automated DBR kernel build version bump — no user-facing change, no code delta visible to Delta Lake users.

    View source ↗
  2. 27d ago

    Version bump to 4.4.0 for release

    Release prep PR changing version.sbt from 4.4.0-SNAPSHOT to 4.4.0 and enabling local Maven overwrites — infrastructure plumbing only, no runtime behavior changes.

    View source ↗
  3. 1mo ago

    Delta Lake 3.3.3

    Delta Lake 3.3.3 patches four real production issues: transaction log retention could delete files still needed for time travel on low-commit-rate tables, deletion vector cache refresh dropped fileId-to-URL mappings causing long-running queries to fail, the Kernel Parquet reader dropped the Hadoop Configuration on a previous bugfix, and RANDOMIZE_FILE_PREFIXES support is now actually wired through to writes. These are targeted correctness fixes, not cosmetic changes.

    View source ↗
  4. 1mo ago

    DBR Kernel Build 4.1.0-20260730

    Automated DBR kernel build version bump — internal build infrastructure, no user-facing change.

    View source ↗
  5. 2mo ago

    DBI Kernel Build July 11

    DBI kernel build capturing a checkpoint hint as opaque JSON — an internal Databricks Runtime build artifact, not a user-visible Delta release.

    View source ↗
  6. 2mo ago

    Delta Lake 4.3.1

    Delta Lake 4.3.1 patches three issues in the 4.x line: OAuth config key case-sensitivity breaking Delta REST Catalog auth, S3A fast listing failing through CredScopedFileSystem wrappers in Unity Catalog, and a reserved DSv2 property leaking into committed table metadata. These are correctness fixes with direct impact on teams using UC-managed tables or the REST Catalog.

    View source ↗