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.
- Automatic change data feed is now generally available
Requires Databricks Runtime 19 or above with row tracking enabled. Makes MERGE and UPDATE operations about 15% faster.
- 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 scheduled tasks are now generally available
Runs prompts on a recurring schedule, producing a continuable Genie chat with results.
- Run the change, do not just read it. Hands-on labs in your own Databricks workspace, graded when you submit. Browse labs
- Genie Code scheduled tasks will soon be available by default for workspaces with the compliance security profile enabled Coming soon
Replaces manual runs of recurring analysis tasks. Available in October 2026.
- Genie Code for AI Runtime (Public Preview)
Generates distributed training code and resolves environment issues. Requires AI Runtime.
- 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.
- 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.
- Genie Code web search is in Beta
Searches the public web for current info, disabled by default.
- Databricks Runtime maintenance updates (08/04)
Includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements for versions 13.3 to 18.2.
- Full page Genie Code is now generally available
Runs multiple chats in parallel, with notebooks and files as tabs.
- 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) - Get this table by email. One Monday mail covering the week, filtered to the clouds and products you run. Weekly digest
- Databricks Runtime 19 and Databricks Runtime 19 for Machine Learning are now generally available
Powered by Apache Spark 4.2.0.
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) - Genie Code scheduled tasks are in Beta
Runs prompts on a recurring schedule, producing a continuable Genie chat with results.
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) - Solution Accelerators in Databricks Marketplace are now published as apps or notebooks
They are now categorized as apps or notebooks, with unchanged content.
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) - Install third-party apps from Databricks Marketplace
Installs apps directly in Unity Catalog-governed workspaces, keeping provider code closed-source.
AWS, read it on their docsAzure, read it on their docsGCP, read it on their docsSAP(not on this cloud) - Databricks Runtime 19 and Databricks Runtime 19 for Machine Learning are in Beta
Powered by Apache Spark 4.2.0.
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) - Use Universal Commits to purchase Marketplace partner products
Up to 10% of Universal Commits can be used for third-party products.
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.
- 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 and Databricks Runtime 18 for Machine Learning are in Beta
Powered by Apache Spark 4.1.0, replacing separate release notes for feature versions.
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)
Headlines, dates and product areas are Databricks' own, and every item links to the note it came from. The one-line summaries are ours.