DatabricksInstall

Overview

This node allows interaction with the Databricks Unity Catalog API, specifically to retrieve metadata about tables within a specified catalog and schema. The "Get Table" operation fetches details of a table from the Unity Catalog, which is useful for workflows that need to dynamically access or verify table metadata in Databricks environments.

Common scenarios include:

• Automating data governance by retrieving table definitions.
• Integrating Databricks metadata into data catalogs or monitoring tools.
• Validating table existence and properties before running data pipelines.

For example, you might use this node to get the schema and properties of a table before executing a query or to document your data assets automatically.

Properties

The "Catalog" property lets you choose from available Unity Catalogs fetched dynamically via the Databricks API. Once a catalog is selected, the "Schema" property populates with schemas belonging to that catalog, also loaded dynamically.

Output

The node outputs JSON data representing the retrieved table's metadata from the Unity Catalog. This typically includes information such as the table name, columns, types, comments, and other relevant properties defined by the Databricks Unity Catalog API.

If the node supports binary data output (not indicated here), it would represent file contents or attachments related to the table, but for the "Get Table" operation, the output is purely JSON metadata.

Dependencies

• Requires an API authentication token credential configured in n8n to authenticate requests against the Databricks REST API.
• Needs network access to the Databricks workspace endpoint.
• The node relies on the Databricks Unity Catalog API endpoints /api/2.1/unity-catalog/catalogs and /api/2.1/unity-catalog/schemas to populate options dynamically.

Troubleshooting

• Common issues:

  • Authentication failures due to invalid or expired API tokens.
  • Network connectivity problems preventing access to the Databricks API.
  • Selecting a catalog or schema that does not exist or lacks permissions.

• Error messages:

  • API Error: <status> <statusText>: Indicates the API returned an error response. Check the status code and message for details, ensure credentials are correct, and verify user permissions.
  • Network Error: No response received from server: Suggests network issues or incorrect host URL configuration.
  • Errors related to missing or invalid parameters usually mean required fields like Catalog or Schema were not set properly.

To resolve errors:

• Verify API credentials and refresh tokens if needed.
• Confirm the Databricks workspace URL is correctly configured.
• Ensure the user has sufficient permissions to access the Unity Catalog resources.
• Check that the selected catalog and schema exist and are accessible.

Links and References

• Databricks Unity Catalog API Documentation
• Databricks REST API Reference
• n8n Documentation on Credentials