Company Guide·16 min read·
Databricks Interview Questions: SQL, Spark & More
Prepare for Databricks data engineer interviews with real questions about Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Spark internals, and pipeline architecture.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Why Databricks Interviews Are Unique
- ✓Technical Deep Dives
- ✓Interview Tips
Why Databricks Interviews Are Unique
Databricks builds the lakehouse — so they test deep Spark knowledge that other companies don't. You'll need to know:
- Delta Lake internals (transaction log, time travel, Z-ordering)
- Unity Catalog and data governance
- Photon engine and query optimization
- Structured Streaming
- MLflow basics
Technical Deep Dives
Expect questions that go beyond surface-level Spark:
- How does Delta Lake achieve ACID transactions?
- Explain the difference between managed and external tables
- How does Z-ordering improve query performance?
- What is the transaction log and how does it handle concurrent writes?
- Compare Delta Lake vs Apache Iceberg vs Apache Hudi
Interview Tips
- Use the free Databricks Community Edition to practice
- Read the Delta Lake whitepaper
- Understand the medallion architecture deeply — it's core to their philosophy
- Be ready to discuss real-world data quality challenges
DE
Written by the DataEngPrep Team
Our editorial team consists of experienced data engineers who have worked at top tech companies and gone through hundreds of real interviews. Every article is reviewed for technical accuracy and practical relevance to help you prepare effectively.
Learn more about our team →Related Articles
Practice These Questions
Ace Your Interview with AI Coaching
1,800+ expert answers, AI mock interviews, and personalized feedback to get you hired.