Skip to main content

RECLUSTER TABLE

Introduced: v1.2.25

A well-clustered table may become chaotic in some storage blocks, negatively affecting the query performance. For example, the table continues to experience DML operations (INSERT / UPDATE / DELETE). This command helps reduce the chaos by re-clustering the table.

Databend recommends using the following statement with the CLUSTERING_INFORMATION function to determine when to re-cluster a table:

SELECT If(average_depth > total_block_count * 0.01
AND average_depth > 1, 'The table needs recluster now',
'The table does not need recluster now')
FROM clustering_information('<your_database>', '<your_table>');

Syntax

ALTER TABLE [IF EXISTS] <table_name> RECLUSTER [FINAL] [WHERE condition] [LIMIT <segment_count>]

The command has a limitation on the number of segments it can process, with the default value being "max_thread * 4". You can modify this limit by using the LIMIT option. Alternatively, you have two options to cluster your data in the table further:

  • Run the command multiple times against the table.
  • Use the FINAL option to continuously optimize the table until it is fully clustered.
note

Re-clustering a table consumes time (even longer if you include the FINAL option) and credits (when you are in Databend Cloud). During the optimizing process, do NOT perform DML actions to the table.

The command does not cluster the table from the ground up. Instead, it selects and reorganizes the most chaotic existing storage blocks from the latest LIMIT segments using a clustering algorithm. For more information about how the re-clustering works, see https://databend.rs/doc/contributing/rfcs/recluster.

Examples

-- create table
create table t(a int, b int) cluster by(a+1);

-- insert some data to t
insert into t values(1,1),(3,3);
insert into t values(2,2),(5,5);
insert into t values(4,4);

select * from clustering_information('default','t')\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
cluster_by_keys: ((a + 1))
total_block_count: 3
constant_block_count: 1
unclustered_block_count: 0
average_overlaps: 1.3333
average_depth: 2.0
block_depth_histogram: {"00002":3}

-- alter table recluster
ALTER TABLE t RECLUSTER FINAL WHERE a != 4;

select * from clustering_information('default','t')\G
*************************** 1. row ***************************
cluster_by_keys: ((a + 1))
total_block_count: 2
constant_block_count: 1
unclustered_block_count: 0
average_overlaps: 1.0
average_depth: 2.0
block_depth_histogram: {"00002":2}
Explore Databend Cloud for FREE
Low-cost
Fast Analytics
Easy Data Ingestion
Elastic Scaling
Try it today