DuckDB-Wasm: Iceberg Queries in Your Browser

DuckDB: Serverless Data Alchemy

The key insight of this article is DuckDB's implementation of a WebAssembly client that allows users to query Apache Iceberg datasets directly within a web browser. This is innovative because it provides a serverless, zero-setup solution for interacting with Iceberg catalogs, eliminating the need for any infrastructure setup. The ability to perform complex analytical queries on large datasets without requiring a backend server or local installation is a significant advancement. The article highlights the technical details, including the redesign of HTTP interactions, the implementation of a JavaScript networking wrapper, and routing all Iceberg networking through a common interface. The demo showcasing querying S3 Tables directly from a browser is particularly noteworthy. A potential limitation could be performance, as in-browser execution might be slower than native DuckDB installations, particularly for very large datasets, although the article doesn't explicitly mention this. Furthermore, the reliance on browser-based execution also introduces security considerations related to the handling of credentials and data within the browser environment. The article also mentions the existing limitations surrounding cloud provider support, which is a key concern.

Key Points

• DuckDB now supports querying Apache Iceberg datasets directly in a web browser using DuckDB-Wasm.
• This provides a serverless, zero-setup solution, eliminating the need for infrastructure.
• The implementation involves redesigning HTTP interactions and using a JavaScript networking wrapper.
• A demo showcases querying S3 Tables from a browser, with computations running locally.

---

📖 Source: DuckDB's WebAssembly Client Allows Querying Iceberg Datasets in the Browser