Practical overview
When it fits
Use HAWQ when SQL analytics needs to run against large Hadoop datasets in HDFS and a HAWQ cluster is available to operate.
Who it is for
- Teams analyzing large datasets stored in Apache Hadoop.
- Database and cluster administrators managing HAWQ deployments.
- Developers building SQL analytics services over HDFS data.
Documented uses
- Run SQL queries over Hadoop data stored in HDFS.
- Create and query HAWQ-managed tables.
- Manage HAWQ clusters and databases.
- Use PXF to access external HDFS data sources.
Requirements & limits
- The documented workflow requires a running HAWQ 2.x single-node or multi-node cluster.
- The tutorial supports several environment routes: a commercial distribution, sandbox virtual machine, Docker environment, or source-built installation.
- PXF is the tutorial’s documented route for accessing external HDFS data sources.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Explore HAWQ tables and external HDFS data
Follow the tutorial’s sequence for setting up a HAWQ runtime, creating and querying tables, and accessing external HDFS data with PXF.
Before you start
- A running HAWQ 2.x single-node or multi-node cluster.
- A commercial HAWQ distribution, sandbox virtual machine, Docker environment, or installation built from source.
Steps
Examine and set up the HAWQ runtime environment.
Work through the tutorial’s cluster and database administration lessons.
Download the tutorial data and work files, create the Retail demo schema, and load data to HDFS.
Create and query HAWQ-managed tables, then use PXF to access external HDFS data.
Expected outcome
A tutorial-led introduction to HAWQ administration, SQL queries on managed tables, and PXF access to external HDFS data.
Guide limitations
- The tutorial requires an already running HAWQ 2.x cluster; it does not, in the described prerequisites, provide a standalone hosted service.
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 12 October 2026
- Original website title
- Apache HAWQ® · Official homepage title · retained in its source language

