DataWorks Data Catalog provides a unified interface for managing Data Lake Formation (DLF) Catalog metadata. You can add DLF Catalogs to Data Catalog, create and manage databases within them, and create and manage tables with support for both manual configuration and AI-assisted generation through Copilot.
Open the DLF Catalog page
Go to the Workspaces page in the DataWorks console. In the top navigation bar, select a region. Find your workspace and choose Shortcuts > Data Map in the Actions column.
In the left navigation pane, click Data Catalog. In the Data Catalog tree, click DLF Catalog.
Add a DLF Catalog
You can add an existing DLF Catalog to the Data Catalog list. The steps differ depending on your DLF version.
Click the
icon to the right of DLF Catalog to open the Add DLF Catalog page.Select the tab for your DLF version and add the catalog.
| DLF version | How to add |
|---|---|
| DLF 1.0 | On the DLF 1.0 tab, click Create DLF Catalog to go to the Data Lake Formation 1.0 console and create a DLF Catalog. After the catalog is created, return to the DLF 1.0 tab to add it. To add a single catalog, find it in the list and click Add in the Actions column. To add multiple catalogs at once, select them in the list and click Batch Add. |
| DLF 2.0 | Creating DLF Catalogs is not supported. |
| (Recommended) DLF 2.5 And Later | On the DLF 2.5 And Later tab, click Create DLF Catalog to go to the Data Lake Formation 2.5 console and create a DLF Catalog. After the catalog is created, return to the DLF 2.5 tab to add it. To add a single catalog, find it in the list and click Add in the Actions column. To add multiple catalogs at once, select them in the list and click Batch Add. |
Manage databases
Find the target DLF Catalog and click the
icon to its right.On the Create Database page, enter a Database Name.
Click Save in the top toolbar.
View a database
After a database is added, click the 
icon to the left of the DLF Catalog to view its databases.
Delete a database
Right-click the database and select Delete.
This operation cannot be undone. Proceed with caution.
Before you delete a database, you must delete all tables in it.
Manage tables
Click the
icon to the right of the target database to open the New Table page.Generate the table definition by using one of the following methods: Method 1: Create a table with Copilot Method 2: Create a table manually Configure the following parameters:
In the top toolbar, click Create Table With Copilot to open the Copilot Chat interface.
Enter an instruction. For example:
Create a user table.Click Generate And Replace. The system generates a default table name and field information based on your instruction.
If the generated table definition meets your requirements, click Accept.
NoteYou can manually edit the generated details after you click Accept.
Parameter Description Basic Information Specify a Table Name, Table Description, and other basic details. Field Information Define the fields for the table. Click Insert above the field list, specify the number of rows to add, then edit the Field Name, Field Type, and other details for each field. You can also click Generate Fields or Generate Field Descriptions to have Copilot generate fields and descriptions based on the table name and description. (Optional) Configure partitions. To create a partitioned table, go to the Partition Fields section. Set the number of Rows to add and click Insert. You can add multiple partition fields. For each field, specify the Field Name, Field Type, and other required information.
(Optional) Configure advanced settings. Advanced settings differ by DLF version:
DLF version Parameter Description DLF 2.5 and later / DLF 2.0 Custom Properties Configure custom property parameters to set the table storage location, storage format, and other properties. For details, see Create a data table in Data Lake Formation. DLF 1.0 Storage Location Click Change next to Storage Location. In the OSS Path dialog box, select a storage location for the table. Storing metadata in OSS ensures data security, reliability, and simplified management. DLF 1.0 Data Format Select a storage format. The system automatically defines the data input format, output format, and serialization and deserialization methods based on your selection. DLF 1.0 data formats
Format Description CSV Comma-separated text file. Suitable for simple data structures. PARQUET Columnar storage format with a high compression ratio. Suitable for big data analysis. ORC Optimized columnar storage format with excellent performance. Supports complex data types. AVRO Binary format that supports schema evolution. Suitable for dynamic data structures. JSON Supports nested structures. Suitable for semi-structured data. SELE_DEFINE Custom serialization and deserialization logic. Click Publish in the top toolbar to create the table.
View a table
After you create a table, click the icon to the left of the database, then click Tables to view basic table information. Click a specific table name to view its Details and Basic Information.
Delete a table
Right-click the table and select Delete.
This operation cannot be undone. Proceed with caution.
View and remove a DLF Catalog
View catalog details
After a DLF Catalog is added, click the icon to the left of its entry to expand it. Hover over the DLF Catalog to view its Version, Creation Time, and other details.
Remove a DLF Catalog
If you no longer need to manage a DLF Catalog in Data Catalog, right-click it and select Remove.