**Adaptive Query Execution** (Spark 3.x): Optimizes at runtime using actual statistics. **Join optimizations**: (1) Coalesce partitions after shuffle—merge small partitions. (2) Convert sort-merge to broadcast when runtime shows one side small. (3) Skew join—split large partition, replicate small side. **Enable**: spark.sql.adaptive.enabled=true. **Why**: Planner uses estimates; AQE corrects with real data....
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