WIP: DataFusion 52 release post

content/blog/2026-01-08-datafusion-52.0.0.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: Apache DataFusion 52.0.0 Released
+date: 2026-01-08
+author: pmc
+categories: [release]
+---
+
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+http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
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+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
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+{% endcomment %}
+-->
+
+[TOC]
+
+## Introduction
+
+We are proud to announce the release of [DataFusion 52.0.0]. This post highlights
+some of the major improvements since [DataFusion 51.0.0]. The complete list of
+changes is available in the [changelog]. Thanks to the [120 contributors] for
+making this release possible.
+
+TODO: confirm the release date for 52.0.0 and update the front matter if needed.
+
+[DataFusion 52.0.0]: https://crates.io/crates/datafusion/52.0.0
+[DataFusion 51.0.0]: https://datafusion.apache.org/blog/2025/11/25/datafusion-51.0.0/
+[changelog]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/blob/branch-52/dev/changelog/52.0.0.md
+[120 contributors]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/blob/branch-52/dev/changelog/52.0.0.md#credits
+
+## Performance Improvements 🚀
+
+We continue to make significant performance improvements in DataFusion, both in
+the core engine and in the Parquet reader. This release includes faster `CASE`
+expressions, better hash performance for string types, and continued string
+function optimizations.
+
+### Performance Chart (TODO)
+
+TODO: add the 52.0.0 performance chart and update the caption.
+
+<img
+src="/blog/images/datafusion-52.0.0/performance_over_time_clickbench.png"
+width="100%"
+class="img-responsive"
+alt="Performance over time"
+/>
+
+**Figure 1**: TODO: update caption for 52.0.0 benchmarking results.
+
+## Major Features ✨
+
+### Arrow IPC Stream file support
+
+DataFusion can now read Arrow IPC stream files ([#18457]). This expands
+interoperability with systems that emit Arrow streams directly, making it
+simpler to ingest Arrow-native data without conversion.
+
+Example (TODO: confirm exact syntax for IPC stream format selection):
+
+```sql
+-- TODO: confirm whether the format name is `arrow`, `ipc_stream`, or implicit.
+CREATE EXTERNAL TABLE ipc_events
+STORED AS ARROW
+LOCATION 's3://bucket/events.arrow';
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#18457]
+
+[#18457]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18457
+
+### Faster `CASE` expression evaluation
+
+DataFusion 52 completes major work from the CASE performance epic ([#18075]).
+Lookup-table based evaluation avoids repeated expression evaluation and reduces
+branching overhead, accelerating common ETL patterns.
+
+Example:
+
+```sql
+SELECT
+  CASE
+    WHEN status IN ('NEW', 'READY', 'STAGED') THEN 'PENDING'
+    WHEN status IN ('DONE', 'COMPLETE') THEN 'FINISHED'
+    ELSE 'OTHER'
+  END AS status_bucket,
+  count(*)
+FROM jobs
+GROUP BY 1;
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#18183]
+
+[#18075]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/18075
+[#18183]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18183
+
+### Extensible SQL planning with relation planner extensions
+
+DataFusion now supports relation planner extensions for custom SQL syntax and
+planning logic ([#17824], [#17843]). This lets downstream projects inject their
+own planning behavior without forking the SQL planner, which is critical for
+dialect extensions and custom table references.
+
+Diagram:
+
+```
+SQL text
+  |  (custom relation planner extension)
+  v
+Logical plan
+  |  (DataFusion optimizers)
+  v
+Physical plan
+```
+
+TODO: include a short Rust snippet showing how to register a relation planner
+extension once the final API example is confirmed.
+
+Related PRs: [#17843]
+
+[#17824]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/17824
+[#17843]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/17843
+
+### ListingTable object store usage improvements
+
+ListingTable improvements continue to reduce object store I/O and planning
+latency for partitioned datasets ([#17214]). DataFusion now normalizes partition
+and flat listings, enables a memory-bound list-files cache by default, and
+makes the cache prefix-aware for partition pruning.
+
+Diagram:
+
+```
+Object store LIST
+  |  (normalized listing + cache)
+  v
+Partitioned files
+  |  (planner)
+  v
+Execution plan
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#18146], [#18855], [#19366], [#19298], [#18971]
+
+[#17214]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/17214
+[#18146]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18146
+[#18855]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18855
+[#19366]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19366
+[#19298]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19298
+[#18971]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18971
+
+### Statistics cache improvements
+
+The statistics cache has been improved to make pruning and planning more
+reliable in repeated workloads ([#19051]). DataFusion now exposes a
+`statistics_cache` function and improves cache memory behavior for listing
+workflows, making it easier to diagnose cache contents and reduce repeated I/O.
+
+Example (TODO: confirm the function signature and output schema):
+
+```sql
+-- TODO: confirm the function name and arguments.
+SELECT * FROM statistics_cache('my_table');
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#19054], [#18855], [#18971]
+
+[#19051]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/19051
+[#19054]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19054
+
+### Pushdown expression evaluation via PhysicalExprAdapter
+
+DataFusion now pushes down expression evaluation into TableProviders using the
+PhysicalExprAdapter, replacing the older SchemaAdapter approach ([#14993],
+[#16800]). This enables richer pushdown (expressions and projections) and
+improves consistency between logical and physical planning.
+
+Diagram:
+
+```
+SQL filter/projection
+  |  (PhysicalExprAdapter)
+  v
+TableProvider pushdown
+  |  (scan)
+  v
+Reduced data
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#18998], [#19345]
+
+[#14993]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/14993
+[#16800]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/16800
+[#18998]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18998
+[#19345]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19345
+
+### Hash join build-side pushdown
+
+DataFusion can now push down build-side hash tables from HashJoinExec into scans
+([#17171]). When the build side is small, DataFusion converts the hash table to
+an `IN` list or hash lookup that can be evaluated during scans, reducing the
+join input size early.
+
+Example:
+
+```sql
+SELECT *
+FROM orders o
+JOIN small_dim d
+ON o.dim_id = d.id;
+```
+
+TODO: include a physical plan snippet that shows the pushdown filter once a
+canonical example is selected.
+
+Related PRs: [#18393]
+
+[#17171]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/17171
+[#18393]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18393
+
+### Sort pushdown to sources
+
+DataFusion now supports sort pushdown into data sources, allowing scans to
+return sorted data or leverage reversed row groups when possible ([#10433],
+[#19064]). This reduces memory pressure and can eliminate explicit sort stages
+for partitioned or pre-sorted data.
+
+Example:
+
+```sql
+SELECT *
+FROM parquet_table
+ORDER BY event_time DESC;
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#19064]
+
+[#10433]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/10433
+[#19064]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19064
+
+### DELETE/UPDATE hooks in TableProvider
+
+TableProvider now includes DELETE and UPDATE hooks, with MemTable providing the
+first implementation ([#19142]). This is an important step toward fully
+featured DML support and enables downstream storage engines to plug in their
+own mutation logic.
+
+Example:
+
+```sql
+DELETE FROM mem_table WHERE status = 'obsolete';
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#19142]
+
+[#19142]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19142
+
+### CoalesceBatchesExec removal and integrated batch coalescing
+
+DataFusion continues the work to remove the standalone CoalesceBatchesExec
+operator ([#18779]). Batch coalescing is now integrated into multiple operators,
+reducing plan complexity and avoiding unnecessary batch materialization.
+
+Diagram:
+
+```
+Before:
+  Scan -> CoalesceBatches -> Filter -> CoalesceBatches -> Join
+
+After:
+  Scan -> Filter (coalesce inline) -> Join (coalesce inline)
+```
+
+Related PRs: [#18540], [#18604], [#18630], [#18972], [#19002], [#19342], [#19239]
+
+[#18779]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/18779
+[#18540]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18540
+[#18604]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18604
+[#18630]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18630
+[#18972]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/18972
+[#19002]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19002
+[#19342]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19342
+[#19239]: https://github.com/apache/datafusion/pull/19239
+
+## Upgrade Guide and Changelog
+
+Upgrading to 52.0.0 should be straightforward for most users. Please review the
+[Upgrade Guide]
+for details on breaking changes and code snippets to help with the transition.
+For a comprehensive list of all changes, please refer to the [changelog].
+
+## About DataFusion
+
+[Apache DataFusion] is an extensible query engine, written in [Rust], that uses
+[Apache Arrow] as its in-memory format. DataFusion is used by developers to
+create new, fast, data-centric systems such as databases, dataframe libraries,
+and machine learning and streaming applications. While [DataFusion's primary
+design goal] is to accelerate the creation of other data-centric systems, it
+provides a reasonable experience directly out of the box as a [dataframe
+library], [Python library], and [command-line SQL tool].
+
+[apache datafusion]: https://datafusion.apache.org/
+[rust]: https://www.rust-lang.org/
+[apache arrow]: https://arrow.apache.org
+[DataFusion's primary design goal]: https://datafusion.apache.org/user-guide/introduction.html#project-goals
+[dataframe library]: https://datafusion.apache.org/user-guide/dataframe.html
+[python library]: https://datafusion.apache.org/python/
+[command-line SQL tool]: https://datafusion.apache.org/user-guide/cli/
+[Upgrade Guide]: https://datafusion.apache.org/library-user-guide/upgrading.html
+
+## How to Get Involved
+
+DataFusion is not a project built or driven by a single person, company, or
+foundation. Rather, our community of users and contributors works together to
+build a shared technology that none of us could have built alone.
+
+If you are interested in joining us, we would love to have you. You can try out
+DataFusion on some of your own data and projects and let us know how it goes,
+contribute suggestions, documentation, bug reports, or a PR with documentation,
+tests, or code. A list of open issues suitable for beginners is [here], and you
+can find out how to reach us on the [communication doc].
+
+[here]: https://github.com/apache/arrow-datafusion/issues?q=is%3Aissue+is%3Aopen+label%3A%22good+first+issue%22
+[communication doc]: https://datafusion.apache.org/contributor-guide/communication.html