Browsing DBFS in Databricks
To browse the Databricks File System (DBFS) in Databricks, follow these steps:
- Enable DBFS File Browser: Navigate to your Databricks workspace and click on the Admin Settings icon in the top right corner. Then, go to Workspace settings, scroll down to the Advanced section, and check the box next to “Enable DBFS File Browser”. Refresh the page for the changes to take effect.
- Access DBFS Tab: After enabling the DBFS file browser, you should see a new tab called “DBFS” in the Catalog section. Click on this tab to access and browse your files stored in DBFS.
- Upload and Manage Files: Use the DBFS tab to upload files from your local system or manage existing files. You can create custom folders within DBFS using the UI.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is DBFS used for?
- A: DBFS is used as a unified interface for accessing files stored in cloud object storage like S3, ADLS, and GCS, providing high performance for workloads such as ETL, machine learning, and ad-hoc analytics.
- Q: How do I upload files to DBFS?
- A: To upload files to DBFS, navigate to the DBFS tab in your Databricks workspace, click on the “Upload” button, and select the file you want to upload from your local system.
- Q: Can I download files directly from DBFS using the UI?
- A: No, Databricks does not allow direct downloading of files from DBFS via the UI. You need to use a web URL to access and download files.
- Q: How do I create a table from a file uploaded to DBFS?
- A: To create a table from a file uploaded to DBFS, use the Spark API to read the file and load it into a DataFrame. Then, create a temporary view from the DataFrame.
- Q: What file formats are supported by DBFS?
- A: DBFS supports various file formats including Parquet, Avro, JSON, TXT, ORC, CSV, and more.
- Q: How do I access DBFS files using a web URL?
- A: To access DBFS files using a web URL, replace “/dbfs/FileStore/” with “/files/” in the file path and append the Databricks base URL along with the tenant ID for authentication.
- Q: Can I use DBFS for data sharing across clusters?
- A: Yes, DBFS allows you to reliably share data, datasets, and models across different clusters with access controls in place for secure data sharing.
Bottom Line: Browsing DBFS in Databricks is straightforward once you enable the DBFS file browser. It provides a powerful way to manage and access data stored in cloud object storage, supporting a wide range of file formats and use cases.