How To Provide Path In Databricks To Load A File

Providing Paths in Databricks to Load a File

When working with Databricks, specifying file paths is crucial for loading files from different file systems. Databricks supports two primary file systems: the Local File System of the Driver Node and the Databricks File System (DBFS). The syntax for specifying paths depends on the file system and the type of code being executed.

Default File Systems and Prefixes

Command/Code	Default Location	Prefix to access DBFS	Prefix to access Local File System
%fs	DBFS Root	Optional	file:/
dbutils.fs	DBFS Root	Optional	file:/
spark.read/write	DBFS Root	Optional	file:/
Spark SQL	DBFS Root	Optional	file:/
Python code	Local File System	/dbfs	None
%sh	Local File System	/dbfs	None

Examples of Loading Files

Using Spark: To load a file from DBFS using Spark, you can use the following command:

spark.read.parquet("dbfs:/mnt/test_folder/test_folder1/file.parquet")

Using Python: To load a file from DBFS using Python, you can use the following command:

dbutils.fs.ls("/dbfs/mnt/test_folder/test_folder1/")

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What is the difference between “dbfs:/” and “/dbfs”?

  A: Both “dbfs:/” and “/dbfs” refer to DBFS, but “dbfs:/” is used in contexts where DBFS is the default file system, while “/dbfs” is used when the default is the Local File System.

• Q: How do I list files in the Local File System using Python?

  A: You can list files in the Local File System using Python with the os module: import os; print(os.listdir("/"))

• Q: Can I use shell commands to access DBFS?

  A: Yes, you can access DBFS using shell commands by prefixing the path with “/dbfs”. For example: ls /dbfs/mnt/test_folder

• Q: How do I create a directory in DBFS using dbutils?

  A: You can create a directory in DBFS using the dbutils.fs.mkdirs command. For example: dbutils.fs.mkdirs("/dbfs/mnt/test_folder")

• Q: Can I display HTML content in a Databricks notebook?

  A: Yes, you can display HTML content in a Databricks notebook using the displayHTML function.

• Q: How do I link to other notebooks or folders in a Databricks markdown cell?

  A: You can link to other notebooks or folders by using the standard markdown syntax for links: [Link Text](url)

• Q: Does Databricks support all markdown syntax?

  A: Most markdown syntax is supported in Databricks notebooks, but some features like emoji shortcodes are not supported.

Bottom Line

Providing paths in Databricks requires understanding the default file systems and prefixes for different types of code. By using the appropriate prefixes and commands, you can efficiently load files from both DBFS and the Local File System.

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