Apache Parquet File (.PARQUET)
Apache Parquet is a columnar binary storage format designed for efficient data processing and analytics at scale. It organizes data by columns rather than rows, enabling highly efficient compression and encoding schemes that exploit column-level data patterns. Parquet is the standard storage format for big data ecosystems including Apache Spark, Hadoop, and cloud data lakes.
Advantages of Apache Parquet File
What the PARQUET format does well, and why you might choose it.
- Columnar storage enables extremely efficient analytical queries on subsets of columns
- Excellent compression ratios due to column-level encoding and homogeneous data types
- Schema evolution support allows adding columns without rewriting existing data
Limitations of Apache Parquet File
What the PARQUETformat doesn't do well, and when to choose another format.
- Binary format that is not human-readable and requires specialized tools
- Not suitable for row-oriented operations or frequent single-record updates
- Overkill for small datasets where CSV or JSON would be simpler
What PARQUET files are used for
- Big data analytics with Apache Spark, Hive, and Presto
- Cloud data lake storage on AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, and Azure
- Data engineering ETL pipelines and data warehouse staging
Convert to PARQUET
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Convert PARQUET to other formats
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Frequently asked questions about PARQUET
What is a .PARQUET file?
Apache Parquet is a columnar binary storage format designed for efficient data processing and analytics at scale. It organizes data by columns rather than rows, enabling highly efficient compression and encoding schemes that exploit column-level data patterns. Parquet is the standard storage format for big data ecosystems including Apache Spark, Hadoop, and cloud data lakes.
What is the MIME type of PARQUET?
The official MIME type for PARQUET files is application/vnd.apache.parquet. This is the value web servers and applications use to identify the format when transferring files.
What category does PARQUET belong to?
PARQUET is a Data Converter format. Files in this category share common conversion paths and use cases.
How do I open a .PARQUET file?
PARQUET files are typically opened by software that natively supports the Apache Parquet Fileformat. If you don't have a compatible application, the most reliable approach is to convert the file to a more universal format using the converters listed above. Most Apache Parquet File files convert to widely-supported alternatives in seconds.
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