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ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles

The ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles action converts equality delete files to position delete files. This optimization can improve query performance by using more efficient position-based deletes.

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Interface

public interface ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles extends SnapshotUpdate<ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles, ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles.Result>

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Overview

Equality delete files identify deleted rows by column values, while position delete files identify them by file and row position. Position deletes are typically more efficient for queries because:
  • They require less computation to apply
  • They have a smaller storage footprint
  • They can be applied more quickly during scans
This action converts equality deletes to position deletes by:
  1. Reading the equality delete conditions
  2. Identifying matching row positions in data files
  3. Writing new position delete files
  4. Removing the original equality delete files

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Methods

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filter

Filter which equality delete files to convert based on partition values. 
ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles filter(Expression expression)
Parameters:
  • expression - An Iceberg expression used to find deletes. The filter will be converted to a partition filter with an inclusive projection.
Returns: this for method chaining Example: 
// Convert equality deletes in specific partitions
action.filter(Expressions.equal("date", "2024-01-01"));
Any file that may contain rows matching this filter will be included in the conversion. The filter uses inclusive projection for partition-level matching.

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Result

The Result interface provides statistics about the conversion operation.

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Methods

interface Result {
  int convertedEqualityDeleteFilesCount();
  int addedPositionDeleteFilesCount();
}

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convertedEqualityDeleteFilesCount

Returns the count of equality delete files that were converted. Returns: int - Number of converted files

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addedPositionDeleteFilesCount

Returns the count of position delete files that were created. Returns: int - Number of new position delete files

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Usage Examples

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Convert All Equality Deletes

// Convert all equality delete files to position deletes
ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles.Result result = actions
  .convertEqualityDeleteFiles(table)
  .execute();

System.out.println("Converted " + result.convertedEqualityDeleteFilesCount() + " equality delete files");
System.out.println("Created " + result.addedPositionDeleteFilesCount() + " position delete files");

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Convert Deletes in Specific Partitions

// Convert equality deletes only in recent partitions
ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles.Result result = actions
  .convertEqualityDeleteFiles(table)
  .filter(Expressions.greaterThanOrEqual("date", "2024-01-01"))
  .execute();

System.out.println("Conversion completed:");
System.out.println("  Equality deletes converted: " + result.convertedEqualityDeleteFilesCount());
System.out.println("  Position deletes created: " + result.addedPositionDeleteFilesCount());

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Convert Deletes with Multiple Filters

// Convert equality deletes matching multiple conditions
ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles.Result result = actions
  .convertEqualityDeleteFiles(table)
  .filter(Expressions.and(
    Expressions.greaterThanOrEqual("date", "2024-01-01"),
    Expressions.lessThan("date", "2024-02-01")
  ))
  .execute();

if (result.convertedEqualityDeleteFilesCount() > 0) {
  System.out.println("Successfully converted deletes in January 2024 partition");
}

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Monitor Conversion Progress

// Convert deletes and track the conversion ratio
ConvertEqualityDeleteFiles.Result result = actions
  .convertEqualityDeleteFiles(table)
  .execute();

int converted = result.convertedEqualityDeleteFilesCount();
int created = result.addedPositionDeleteFilesCount();

if (converted > 0) {
  double ratio = (double) created / converted;
  System.out.println("Conversion Summary:");
  System.out.println("  Equality deletes: " + converted);
  System.out.println("  Position deletes: " + created);
  System.out.println("  Ratio: " + String.format("%.2f", ratio));
}

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Best Practices

  1. Run after delete operations: Convert equality deletes after batch delete operations complete
  2. Use partition filters: For large tables, convert deletes partition by partition to manage resource usage
  3. Monitor file counts: Track the conversion ratio to understand delete file characteristics
  4. Combine with compaction: Consider running alongside data file compaction for comprehensive optimization
  5. Test impact: Measure query performance improvements after conversion
This action creates a new snapshot. Ensure you have appropriate retention policies configured to clean up old snapshots.

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Performance Considerations

  • Read overhead: The action must read data files to determine row positions
  • Write amplification: Multiple position delete files may be created from a single equality delete file
  • Query improvement: Queries typically benefit from faster delete application

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