Spark SQL interview questions

15 Spark SQL questions from the Big Data bank, written for Indian campus drives and tech interviews. Every question has a verified answer and an AI-tutor explanation on placd.

Free to start: the 2-minute IT readiness check — six questions and a result.

Take the free IT readiness check

or take a mock interview set up for this area

1. What is Catalyst optimizer?

Mid
  1. A.a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  2. B.Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  3. C.DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually
  4. D.pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

2. Which term means: "Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan"?

Mid
  1. A.broadcast join
  2. B.DataFrame vs RDD
  3. C.Catalyst optimizer
  4. D.predicate pushdown

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

3. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.Catalyst optimizer — pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped
  2. B.Catalyst optimizer — Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  3. C.Catalyst optimizer — a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  4. D.Catalyst optimizer — Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

4. What is Adaptive Query Execution?

Senior
  1. A.Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  2. B.a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  3. C.Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  4. D.DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

5. Which term means: "Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins"?

Senior
  1. A.broadcast join
  2. B.Adaptive Query Execution
  3. C.predicate pushdown
  4. D.Catalyst optimizer

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

6. Which statement is correct?

Senior
  1. A.Adaptive Query Execution — Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  2. B.Adaptive Query Execution — Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  3. C.Adaptive Query Execution — DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually
  4. D.Adaptive Query Execution — pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

7. What is broadcast join?

Mid
  1. A.pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped
  2. B.a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  3. C.DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually
  4. D.Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

8. Which term means: "a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle"?

Mid
  1. A.Catalyst optimizer
  2. B.Adaptive Query Execution
  3. C.broadcast join
  4. D.DataFrame vs RDD

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

9. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.broadcast join — a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  2. B.broadcast join — Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  3. C.broadcast join — Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  4. D.broadcast join — pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

10. What is DataFrame vs RDD?

Junior
  1. A.pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped
  2. B.Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  3. C.a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  4. D.DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

11. Which term means: "DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually"?

Junior
  1. A.DataFrame vs RDD
  2. B.Catalyst optimizer
  3. C.predicate pushdown
  4. D.Adaptive Query Execution

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

12. Which statement is correct?

Junior
  1. A.DataFrame vs RDD — DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually
  2. B.DataFrame vs RDD — Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  3. C.DataFrame vs RDD — Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  4. D.DataFrame vs RDD — pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

13. What is predicate pushdown?

Mid
  1. A.pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped
  2. B.Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan
  3. C.Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  4. D.DataFrames carry a schema and use Catalyst; RDDs are opaque and optimized manually

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

14. Which term means: "pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped"?

Mid
  1. A.DataFrame vs RDD
  2. B.predicate pushdown
  3. C.Catalyst optimizer
  4. D.broadcast join

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

15. Which statement is correct?

Mid
  1. A.predicate pushdown — a join that ships a small table to all executors to avoid a shuffle
  2. B.predicate pushdown — Spark 3 runtime re-optimization: coalesce partitions, handle skew, switch joins
  3. C.predicate pushdown — pushing filters to the scan layer so irrelevant data is skipped
  4. D.predicate pushdown — Spark SQL's engine that turns a logical plan into an optimized physical plan

Answer + AI explanation with Pro

Free to start

Start with a free readiness check

Sign up free for the 2-minute IT readiness check and a scored result. Answers, explanations and the AI tutor on every Spark SQL question come with Pro.

Take the free IT readiness check

or take a mock interview set up for this area

24,000+ questions & coding problemsSoftware & IT16,274 questionsGovernment jobs26 examsAptitudenew questions every timeAI practice interviewwith feedback65 topics to practiseMechanical1,149 questionsGATE ME9 papersEngineering Mathematics381 questions2-minute checkfreeDSA Problems1,422Civil1,005 questionsGATE CE9 papersCS Fundamentals1,209 questionsYour scores6 skillsSystem Design25Electrical / EEE1,047 questionsGATE EE9 papersRun your codeC++ · Java · PythonLow-Level Design144Electronics & Comm.975 questionsGATE EC9 papersAI help on every questionFull-Stack6,282Chemical1,005 questionsGATE CH9 papersAI whiteboardsystem designWork abroadEurope · remote · transfersESE ME1 paperGATE practice papers2019–2026ESE CE1 paperDate alertsbefore the last dateESE EE1 paperBehavioural courseHR round practiceESE ET1 paperResume optimizerProSSC JE ME1 paperApplication trackerSSC JE CE1 paperCompany-wise prepSSC JE EE1 paperRole roadmapsRRB JE1 subjectPriced in ₹UPI · cardsISRO SC1 paperGATE CS9 papersIBPS SO IT1 paperUGC NET CS1 paperSSC CGL26 papersIBPS PO26 papersRRB NTPC26 papersSSC CHSL26 papersIBPS Clerk26 papersSBI Clerk26 papersRRB Group D26 papersSSC CPO26 papersSSC GD26 papers