Data Engineering Associate with Databricks Practice Exam

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Study for the Data Engineering Associate exam with Databricks. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively and confidently for your certification exam!

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What is the purpose of the OPTIMIZE command in Databricks?

To delete unnecessary files from storage
To combine existing data files and rewrite results
To backup data tables
To create indexes for faster queries

The correct answer is: To combine existing data files and rewrite results

The OPTIMIZE command in Databricks is designed to improve the performance of queries by combining existing small files into larger files and rewriting the results in a more efficient format. This process is especially important in distributed data systems like those used in Databricks, where having a large number of small files can lead to decreased query performance due to increased overhead in file management and reading operations. By consolidating these files, the command helps to reduce the overall amount of file metadata that the system needs to manage, leading to faster read times and more efficient query execution. Consequently, running the OPTIMIZE command can significantly enhance the performance of data processing operations and improve overall efficiency in data warehousing scenarios.