This topic describes the built-in functions and user-defined functions (UDFs) that MaxCompute provides.
MaxCompute provides SQL computing capabilities. You can use the built-in functions in MaxCompute SQL statements to implement some computing and counting tasks. If these built-in functions do not meet your requirements, you can use the Java or Python APIs that MaxCompute provides to develop UDFs.
UDFs can be classified into scalar-valued functions, user-defined aggregate functions (UDAFs), and user-defined table functions (UDTFs).
After you develop a UDF, you must compile the UDF code to a JAR package, upload the package to MaxCompute as a resource, and then register the UDF in MaxCompute.
Note To use a UDF in MaxCompute, you only need to specify its name and parameters in an SQL statement as you do when you use the built-in functions of MaxCompute.
For more information about how to manage functions, see Create a function, Delete a function, and List functions.