Metadata query
Metadata query lets you quickly locate databases, tables, and columns in your data lake by searching an index built across your data catalog. Use it to find data assets by name, owner, storage location, table format, or creation time—without manually browsing catalog hierarchies.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure that you have:
Access to the Data Lake Formation console
Run a metadata query
Log on to the Data Lake Formation console.
In the left-side navigation pane, click Metadata > Metadata Query.
In the Catalog List dropdown, select the target data catalog.
In the search box, enter your filter criteria and click the
icon. The applied filter criteria and matching results appear below the search box.
Search fields
Use one or more fields to narrow your results. Fields can be combined in a single query.
| Field | Match type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Global search | Fuzzy match | Searches database names, table names, and column names simultaneously. |
| Database Name | Fuzzy match | |
| Table Name | Fuzzy match | |
| Column Name | Fuzzy match | |
| Description | Fuzzy match | |
| Owner | Exact match | Enter the full owner name |
| Location | Fuzzy match | Matches storage path or URI |
| Tableformat | Exact match | |
| Creation At | Time range | See Time range format |
| Last Updated At | Time range | See Time range format |
Time range format
Creation At and Last Updated At support three syntax patterns:
| Pattern | Example | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Exact date | 20220101 | Records on that specific date |
| On or after | >= 20211222 | Records from December 22, 2021 onward |
| On or before | <= 20220101 | Records up to January 1, 2022 |