Data Lakehouse table formats such as Apache Hudi, Delta Lake, and Apache Iceberg have enabled users to establish open foundations for their data architecture. This 'openness' supports using the right compute engine for the right workload in a cost-efficient way. While this flexibility has been rewarding, navigating the decision to select a single table format has unfolded as a new challenge. OneTable, an open-source project released last year, targets 'interoperability' among different lakehouse table formats. By being a lightweight translation layer, OneTable allows users to seamlessly translate metadata between the source and target table formats, without the need to rewrite or duplicate the actual data files.
The goal of OneTable was to anchor its success in neutrality, guided by strong community values. From the very beginning, the project expressed its desire to be incubated under the Apache Software Foundation. Today, we are excited to announce that OneTable has been accepted as an incubating project by Apache and will henceforth be known as Apache XTable™. As part of the incubation, the project has transitioned the code repository to the Apache infrastructure and adopted the community-driven development principles of the Apache Foundation.
While XTable is in its early phases, it has quickly been gaining significant momentum within the lakehouse community. The project has already garnered over 560 GitHub stars, more than 1000 clones and 70 forks, indicating a rapidly growing interest. Additionally, XTable has a diverse set of contributors from organizations such as Microsoft, Onehouse, Google, Walmart, Adobe, Cloudera, and Dremio. With the Apache incubation, we are also looking forward to connecting with more contributors who have similar interests in this space.
Incubating XTable at the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) signifies more than just the technical evolution of a project; it's a step towards fostering a vibrant community around it. This milestone is exciting for several reasons. Firstly, the ASF's incubation process is renowned for its emphasis on community development and open governance, aligning perfectly with our vision for XTable. By embracing the Apache way, we're not just contributing code; we're building a foundation for a project that's open, inclusive, and sustainable. The incubation phase will equip XTable with the mentoring and services necessary to thrive as a Top Level Project (TLP), ensuring it benefits from the ASF's vendor-neutral environment.
This environment encourages innovation, collaboration, and the sharing of ideas, making it an ideal breeding ground for XTable to grow. Moreover, the ASF's global reach and reputation will enhance XTable's visibility and adoption, creating new opportunities for collaboration with other projects and communities. We're excited about the journey ahead and the potential for XTable to become a key part of the ASF ecosystem, contributing to its mission of providing software for the public good.
For those interested in exploring Apache XTable™, the official website is a good starting point. The documentation section hosts a great hands-on quickstart guide to getting acquainted with XTable, providing a straightforward way to experience its interoperability capabilities firsthand. If you have specific ideas, questions, or seek direct interaction, the discussions section is available for more in-depth exchanges. We invite you to contribute to the project by submitting pull requests or filling issues to the XTable GitHub repository. Contributions in the early phase of the project are going to be critical as we build XTable together. Joining the XTable mailing list is another excellent way to stay informed and engage with the project. We are really excited about the future of Apache XTable™ and building it together with the vibrant data community.
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