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    MaxCompute:Create a project

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    MaxCompute:Create a project

    Last Updated:Mar 20, 2026

    A MaxCompute project is the foundational workspace where you store data, run compute tasks, and manage security settings. By the end of this guide, you will have a fully configured MaxCompute project ready for data development and multi-user collaboration.

    You can create a project using either of the following methods:

    Create a project in the MaxCompute console

    Prerequisites

    1. You have activated the MaxCompute service with your Alibaba Cloud account or RAM user.

    2. (RAM users only -- Alibaba Cloud account users can skip this step.) Your Alibaba Cloud account must grant you the following permissions: For more information about how to grant permissions, see Grant permissions to a RAM user.

      • <a href="https://ram.console.alibabacloud.com/policies/detail?policyType=System&policyName=AliyunMaxComputeFullAccess" id="1fe8c4aab98hi">AliyunMaxComputeFullAccess</a>: Grants full permissions to manage MaxCompute.

      • <a href="https://ram.console.alibabacloud.com/policies/detail?policyType=System&policyName=AliyunDLFFullAccess" id="41df5141f2gf6">AliyunDLFFullAccess</a>: Grants permissions to manage Data Lake Formation APIs and console pages.

    Procedure

    1. Log on to the MaxCompute console and select a region in the top-left corner.

    2. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Manage Configurations > Projects.

    3. In the Create Project dialog box, configure the project parameters described in the following table, and then click Confirm.

    Project parameters

    Parameter

    Required

    Description

    Project Type

    Yes

    Automatically generated by the system.

    Region

    Yes

    The system automatically specifies this parameter based on the region you selected in the upper-left corner.

    Project Name (Globally Unique)

    Yes

    The name must be globally unique and cannot be changed after the project is created. The name must start with a letter and can contain letters, digits, and underscores (_). The name must be 3 to 28 characters in length.

    Description

    No

    A custom description of the project.

    Billing Method

    Yes

    Select one of the following options:
    - Subscription: Suitable for services that run for a long period of time. Provides guaranteed compute resources and prevents uncertainty caused by resource preemption.
    - Pay-as-you-go: Suitable for short-term or testing services. Allows flexible billing based on actual usage.

    Default Quota

    Yes

    All compute jobs for which no quota is specified use the Default Quota.

    Max Resources Consumed by An SQL Statement

    No

    The maximum cost threshold for a single SQL query. Set this parameter if you select the Pay-as-you-go billing method to prevent unexpectedly high costs for a single SQL query.

    Data Type Edition

    Yes

    Select one of the following options:
    - Data type 1.0: For MaxCompute projects that were created in early stages and whose dependent product components do not support data type 2.0.
    - Data type 2.0: For MaxCompute projects that had no historical data before April 2020 and whose dependent product components support data type 2.0.
    - Hive-compatible: For MaxCompute projects that are migrated from Hadoop and whose dependent product components support data type 2.0.

    Storage Type

    Yes

    Select one of the following options:
    - Multi-zone Storage: Uses a data redundancy mechanism across multiple zones (AZs). Your data is redundantly stored in multiple AZs within the same region.
    - Single-zone Storage: Uses a data redundancy mechanism within a single zone (AZ). Your data is redundantly stored on multiple storage devices within a single AZ.
    For more information about storage specifications and billing, see Storage fees.

    AutoMV

    Yes

    Automatic Materialized View (AutoMV) automatically creates materialized views based on user query habits and performance to improve computing efficiency and reduce repeated computations. For more information, see Automatic Materialized View (AutoMV).

    Maximum Storage for AutoMV

    No

    The upper limit for storage resources that AutoMV can use. If this limit is exceeded, AutoMV stops writing data to the created materialized views. For more information, see Manage the AutoMV switch and set the storage resource limit.

    Storage Encryption

    Yes

    Specifies whether to encrypt the MaxCompute project.

    Key

    Yes

    MaxCompute Default Key

    Algorithm

    Yes

    AESCTR, AES256, or RC4

    For more information, see Appendix: Details of project configuration parameters.

    Create a MaxCompute project in the DataWorks console

    Note

    DataWorks is Alibaba Cloud's unified platform for big data development and governance. Use DataWorks to develop MaxCompute jobs, create scheduled workflows, manage operations, and govern your data.

    Prerequisites

    1. Your Alibaba Cloud account or RAM user has activated both MaxCompute and DataWorks in the same region.

    2. (RAM users only -- Alibaba Cloud account users can skip this step.) Your Alibaba Cloud account must grant you the following permissions: For more information about how to grant permissions, see Grant permissions to a RAM user.

      • <a href="https://ram.console.alibabacloud.com/policies/detail?policyType=System&policyName=AliyunMaxComputeFullAccess" id="458567cd95o5e">AliyunMaxComputeFullAccess</a>: Grants full permissions to manage MaxCompute.

      • <a href="https://ram.console.alibabacloud.com/policies/detail?policyType=System&policyName=AliyunDataWorksFullAccess" id="f88155167aowe">AliyunDataWorksFullAccess</a>: Grants full permissions to manage DataWorks.

      • <a href="https://ram.console.alibabacloud.com/policies/detail?policyType=System&policyName=AliyunDLFFullAccess" id="3ff3ae8631e83">AliyunDLFFullAccess</a>: Grants permissions to manage Data Lake Formation APIs and console pages.

    Step 1: Create a DataWorks workspace

    For more information, see Create a workspace.

    1. Go to the DataWorks workspace list and confirm that the correct region is selected at the top of the page. The region cannot be changed after the workspace is created. Click Create Workspace.

    2. On the creation page, set the following key parameters:

      • Workspace Name: Enter a unique name that follows your team's naming conventions.

      • Isolate Development and Production Environments: Enable this option. This creates a standard mode workspace, which ensures that the development and production environments are isolated.

      • Use the new Data Studio: Enable this option. Using the new Data Studio is recommended.

        If this option is not visible, it is enabled by default.

    3. Click Create Workspace.

    Step 2: Associate a MaxCompute compute resource

    For more information, see Attach a computing resource.

    1. Log on to the DataWorks console and select a region in the upper-left corner.

    2. In the Associate MaxCompute Compute Resource dialog box, configure the parameters. For MaxCompute Project, select an existing project or click New.

    3. In the Create Project dialog box, configure the project parameters and click Confirm. The project parameters are the same as those described in the Project parameters section above.

    Understand project permissions

    The permission model depends on the identity of the project creator:

    • Alibaba Cloud account: When you create a project with your Alibaba Cloud account, you become the project owner with full permissions. No other user has access by default.

    • RAM user: When a RAM user creates a project:

      • Both the RAM user and the parent Alibaba Cloud account become project owners with full permissions. No other user has access by default.

      • MaxCompute automatically grants the Super_Administrator role to the RAM user who created the project.

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