Posts

All the articles I've posted.

• 8 MIN READ•Apr 29, 2026

  How Databases Organize Data on Disk: Pages, Blocks, and File Formats

  Databases structure data on disk as heap files, sorted files, or LSM trees, then wrap it in formats like Parquet with metadata that lets engines skip irrelevant blocks.

  data file formatsParquet file formatdatabase storage internals
• 8 MIN READ•Apr 29, 2026

  The Metadata Structure of Modern Table Formats

  Iceberg uses a metadata tree, Delta Lake uses a transaction log, Hudi uses a timeline. Here is exactly how each format organizes metadata and why it matters.

  table format metadataApache Iceberg metadataDelta Lake transaction log
• 8 MIN READ•Apr 29, 2026

  Row vs. Column: How Storage Layout Shapes Everything

  Row stores keep records together for fast transactions. Column stores keep field values together for fast analytics. Here is how each layout works and when to use it.

  columnar vs row storagecolumn-oriented databaserow store performance