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Frequently asked questions

Do I need both the extension and the CLI?​

  • Designer and day-to-day editing — Use the VS Code extension (visual designer, create snapshot, generate SQL from the UI).
  • Apply, validate, SQL, snapshots from the terminal, CI/CD — Use the CLI (schemax apply, schemax validate, schemax sql, schemax snapshot create, etc.).

Many users use both: the extension for design and the CLI for apply and automation. You can also use only the CLI if you define or edit schema state outside the designer (e.g. via import or custom tooling).

What's governance-only mode?​

In full mode, SchemaX can create and manage catalogs, schemas, tables, and governance (comments, tags, grants, row filters, column masks). In governance-only mode, SchemaX only manages governance on objects that already exist — it does not run CREATE CATALOG / CREATE SCHEMA / CREATE TABLE. Use governance-only when tables and schemas are created by something else (e.g. Delta Live Tables or Spark jobs) and you want SchemaX to version and deploy only comments, tags, grants, row filters, and column masks. See Environments and deployment scope.

How do I use SchemaX with Delta Live Tables (or Spark)?​

DLT and Spark often create the tables and schemas. SchemaX does not replace that. Use SchemaX in governance-only mode: DLT/Spark create the tables; SchemaX manages governance (comments, tags, grants, row filters, column masks) on those existing objects. You version and deploy only the governance DDL, not CREATE TABLE. Configure the project's deployment scope so that catalogs/schemas/tables are treated as existing. See Environments and deployment scope.

Where are credentials stored?​

The CLI uses the Databricks SDK and Databricks Authentication Profiles. Credentials are stored where you configure them: typically in ~/.databrickscfg (profile file) or in environment variables (DATABRICKS_HOST, DATABRICKS_TOKEN, etc.). SchemaX does not store credentials itself. See Authentication.

How do I run apply in CI/CD?​

Use the CLI with --no-interaction so the pipeline does not prompt. Configure authentication via environment variables or a profile supplied from a pipeline secret. See Git and CI/CD setup for Azure DevOps and GitHub Actions examples. The same Databricks auth (SDK, profiles) works locally and in CI/CD.

I'm a data scientist — do I need SchemaX?​

Usually no. SchemaX is for people who define and evolve catalog/schema/table structure and governance (data engineers, platform engineers, app developers). If your team uses SchemaX, they use it to manage schemas and grants; you consume the tables (query them, build on them). You only need SchemaX if you are the one creating or changing that structure.

Is there an audit trail for schema changes?​

Yes. All changes are stored as operations in .schemax/changelog.json, and snapshots in .schemax/snapshots/ capture full state at a point in time. This is versioned in Git, so you have an audit trail of what changed and when. Deployments are also recorded (database-backed when you use schemax apply). See Workflows and the CLI reference for rollback and deployment tracking.

Can I add grants or tags to many objects at once?​

Yes. In the VS Code designer, select a catalog or schema in the tree, then click Bulk operations in the detail panel. You can add the same grant (principal + privileges) or tag (name + value) to all objects in that scope—e.g. all tables and views in a schema, or all schemas, tables, and views in a catalog. The generated operations are the same as adding them one by one; they are just batched for convenience. See Unity Catalog grants — Bulk grants and tags.

Can I use the CLI from my own scripts or automation?​

Yes. The CLI is a standard Python CLI; you can call it from scripts, cron, or other automation. For example: schemax sql --target dev --output migration.sql then run the SQL with your own runner, or schemax apply --target dev --no-interaction from a pipeline. See Git and CI/CD setup.