OpenSharing: Sharing Data with Non-Databricks Users
Who this is for:
Architecture / Concept Overview: OpenSharing: Sharing Data with Non-Databricks Users
OpenSharing wraps the Delta Sharing protocol in a user-friendly web experience, making it accessible to business users, partners, and anyone who needs quick access to a governed dataset.
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flowchart LR
classDef source fill:#3F4B59,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef ingestion fill:#5A4B36,stroke:#C9A86B,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef processing fill:#535072,stroke:#8E82B4,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef storage fill:#2E4A4A,stroke:#5FAFA8,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef serving fill:#3D5550,stroke:#6BB7AA,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef governance fill:#5A3F52,stroke:#C28BB0,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
A[Provider] -->|Create Share| B[Unity Catalog Share]
B -->|Enable OpenSharing| C[OpenSharing Link]
C -->|Send Link| D[Recipient Browser]
D -->|Preview Data| E[Web UI]
D -->|Download CSV/Parquet| F[Local File]
D -->|Get Credentials| G[Delta Sharing Profile]
G -->|Connect| H[BI Tool / Code]
A:::source
B:::governance
C:::processing
D:::serving
E:::serving
F:::storage
G:::ingestion
H:::source
*OpenSharing provides a web-based gateway where recipients can preview, download, or connect to shared data without any prior setup.*
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graph TD
classDef source fill:#3F4B59,stroke:#9CA3AF,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef ingestion fill:#5A4B36,stroke:#C9A86B,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef processing fill:#535072,stroke:#8E82B4,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef storage fill:#2E4A4A,stroke:#5FAFA8,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef serving fill:#3D5550,stroke:#6BB7AA,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
classDef governance fill:#5A3F52,stroke:#C28BB0,stroke-width:2px,rx:8,ry:8,color:#E0E6ED
A[OpenSharing vs Delta Sharing] --> B[OpenSharing]
A --> C[Delta Sharing]
B --> D[No setup required]
B --> E[Browser-based access]
B --> F[Download as CSV / Parquet]
C --> G[Client installation needed]
C --> H[Programmatic access]
C --> I[Streaming / incremental reads]
A:::governance
B:::serving
C:::processing
D:::source
E:::source
F:::source
G:::ingestion
H:::ingestion
I:::ingestion
*OpenSharing prioritizes simplicity and zero-setup access, while Delta Sharing provides richer programmatic capabilities.*
Key Terms
Prerequisites and Setup
- A Databricks workspace with Unity Catalog and sharing enabled
- A share object containing the tables you want to distribute
- Metastore admin or share owner privileges
- A communication channel to send the link to recipients (email, Slack, etc.)
Step-by-Step Implementation
Configuration Reference
| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
recipient.sharing_mode | Set to open for OpenSharing | databricks |
link.expiration_days | Days until the OpenSharing link expires | 90 |
link.max_downloads | Maximum number of downloads before the link is disabled | Unlimited |
link.require_email | Require recipients to verify email before access | false |
preview.max_rows | Maximum rows shown in the browser preview | 1000 |
download.formats | Allowed download formats | csv, parquet |
download.max_size_mb | Maximum download size per request | 500 |