Apache Iceberg Internals and Snapshots

Distinguish an Iceberg table’s logical state from its physical objects in HMS and S3.

Trace table loading from an HMS catalog entry through its `metadata_location` pointer to one immutable table metadata version.

Classify table metadata JSON files, manifest lists, manifests, data files, and delete files by their roles and mutability.

Interpret an Iceberg snapshot record—including its snapshot ID, parent ID, sequence number, timestamp, operation, summary, and manifest-list location—as an immutable table state linked into table history.

Determine the files visible in a pinned snapshot by tracing its file graph and interpreting ADDED, EXISTING, and DELETED manifest entries without equating DELETED with immediate S3 object removal.