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Data Explorer overview

Data Explorer lets you see what data your Lakehouse holds and how it is structured, without writing SQL. Use it to find a table, check its columns and sample rows, and then open it in Query Editor.

How data is organized​

Data Explorer shows your data as a tree with three levels.

Catalog            e.g. tpcds
└── Schema         e.g. sf1
    ├── Table      e.g. store_sales
    └── View       e.g. v_store_sales
  • A Catalog is the top level and represents one data source in Lakehouse, for example the tpcds sample data catalog.
  • A Schema groups related tables and views inside a catalog.
  • A Table stores data. A View is a saved query over one or more tables.

What you can do​

TaskWhere
Browse catalogs, schemas, tables, and views.Browse the catalog tree
See columns, sample rows, and table properties.View table schema, sample data, and properties
Find an object by name.Search catalogs, schemas, and tables
Start a query or copy the DDL of a table.Create a query or view DDL from a table

Data Explorer only reads data. Browsing, previewing, and viewing properties never change your tables.

Why you may not see some data​

Lakehouse checks the access rules set in Data Security before it shows any object. A catalog, schema, or table you have no access to does not appear in the tree. Two people can see different trees in the same Lakehouse.

note

If a colleague sees a table that you cannot, ask your Admin to grant you access in Data Security.

Next steps​