Databricks releases, every cloud
- Databricks Runtime 19: September 21, 2026
It supports truncate and trim_array functions in SQL and DataFrame APIs. Session environment variables are set using spark.pythonWorkerEnv.
- Genie Code adds conversation controls
Lets you fork conversations, use /btw for side questions, and edit earlier messages.
- Databricks Runtime 19: September 1, 2026
Auto CDF requires Databricks Runtime 19 or above with row tracking enabled. It makes MERGE and UPDATE operations about 15% faster.
- Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (09/01)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
- Genie Code is now available as a Lakeflow Jobs task (Beta)
Runs prompts autonomously, reading upstream outputs and calling tools as needed, returning a conversation link.
- Databricks Runtime 19: August 24, 2026
Updates Java to Zulu21.52+15-CA and upgrades Jackson libraries to version 2.22.
- Run the change, do not just read it. Hands-on labs in your own Databricks workspace, graded when you submit. Browse labs
- Choose an effort level in Genie Code
Sets balance between response quality and cost, defaults to Auto for highest quality.
- Genie Code supports file uploads
Uploads are used as chat context, see Attach files for details.
- Databricks Runtime 19: August 10, 2026
It supports collect_union and evaluates HAVING before window functions.
- Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (08/04)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
- Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (07/24)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18 and Databricks Runtime 18 for Machine Learning have transitioned to LTS
Receives 3 years of stability and security fixes.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 19: July 23, 2026
Enables Arrow-optimized Python UDFs by default, changing type-coercion behavior.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (06/29)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 19 (Beta): June 26, 2026
Restricts environment variables and Spark configurations in standard access mode. Removes previously allowed settings.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Genie Code system table now counts only user-submitted interactions
Excludes background and automated requests, such as autocomplete and quick-fix suggestions.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 19 (Beta): June 15, 2026
Replaces JDK 17 with JDK 21, removes 90 Python packages.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Genie Code now uses models served through OpenAI on Databricks
Adds OpenAI to existing Azure OpenAI and Anthropic models.
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- Databricks Runtime 18: June 10, 2026
Adds Spark Declarative Pipelines and IP address functions, requires no changes to existing setups.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Reorganized Spark Declarative Pipelines on Lakeflow documentation
Conceptual topics are now under Concepts.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: June 8, 2026
Adds NEAREST BY SQL join type and DESCRIBE TABLE PARTITION for v2 catalog tables.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: June 4, 2026
NATURAL JOIN now matches columns case-insensitively by default. Set spark.sql.legacy.naturalJoinCaseSensitiveColumnMatching to true to restore previous behavior.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: May 29, 2026
Treats NaN values as duplicates, preserves Unity Catalog foreign table permissions during metadata refresh.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (05/26)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: May 18, 2026
Preserves table comments by default, auto-casts compatible column types in DataFrame writes.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (05/13)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: May 4, 2026
Clusters using XPath no longer load external DTDs, and NULL structs are stored as NULL.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (04/29)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for LTS versions 13.3 to 16.4.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: April 20, 2026
Replaces EPSG:102100 with ESRI:102100 for GEOMETRY type. Includes OS security updates.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (04/20)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.1.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: April 2, 2026
Adds VOID column support in UDTs and 30-second socket timeout for JDBC streaming sink connections.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (04/02)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.1.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Documentation site table of contents tabs
Replaces static sidebar with tabbed navigation, includes 6 context tabs.
- Some partner-powered AI features are now available in-country for Brazil, Canada, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the UK
Requires Enforce data processing within workspace Geography enabled. Data does not leave the country.
- Databricks Runtime 18: March 11, 2026
Replaces previous behavior where observation metric errors caused query failures.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: March 10, 2026
Includes clearer error messages for scalar subqueries and operating system security updates.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (03/10)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.0.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 18: February 26, 2026
Adds SET and UNSET METADATA ON COLUMN SQL commands for Unity Catalog table columns. Includes OS security updates.
- Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (02/26)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 12.2 to 18.0.
- Change to use_case field in VPC endpoint API responses Coming soon
Changes from WORKSPACE_ACCESS to GENERAL_ACCESS, see API docs for details.
Headlines, dates and product areas are Databricks' own, and every item links to the note it came from. The one-line summaries are ours.