Top 10 Hive Interview Questions and Answers

Updated 15 Jul 2025

4d ago

Q. How do you eliminate null values in HIVE?

Ans.

Null values in HIVE can be eliminated using the COALESCE function.

  • Use the COALESCE function to replace null values with a default value.

  • Syntax: COALESCE(column_name, default_value)

  • Example: SELECT COALESCE(name, 'Unknown') FROM table_name;

1d ago

Q. What are the differences between Hive and SQL?

Ans.

Hive is a data warehousing tool for Hadoop while SQL is a language used to manage relational databases.

  • Hive is used for big data processing while SQL is used for relational databases.

  • Hive uses Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) while SQL uses trad...read more

Asked in Accenture

4d ago

Q. What are external and internal tables in Hive?

Ans.

External and internal tables in Hive are two types of tables used to store data in Hive.

  • External tables store data outside of Hive's warehouse directory, while internal tables store data within the warehouse directory

  • External tables do not delete dat...read more

5d ago

Q. What analytical functions does HIVE support?

Ans.

Hive supports various analytical functions for data processing and analysis.

  • Hive supports aggregation functions like SUM, COUNT, AVG, MIN, MAX, etc.

  • It also supports window functions like ROW_NUMBER, RANK, LAG, LEAD, etc.

  • Hive provides statistical func...read more

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1d ago

Q. What are ACID properties in a Hive table?

Ans.

ACID properties ensure data consistency and reliability in HIVE tables.

  • ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability.

  • Atomicity ensures that a transaction is treated as a single unit of work.

  • Consistency ensures that the data remain...read more

4d ago

Q. How do you perform data validation in Hive?

Ans.

Data validation in Hive involves using built-in functions and custom scripts to ensure data accuracy and consistency.

  • Use built-in functions like IS NULL, IS NOT NULL, and COALESCE to check for missing or null values

  • Use regular expressions and pattern...read more

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Q. How do you troubleshoot Hive slowness?

Ans.

To troubleshoot hive slowness, check for resource contention, optimize queries, and monitor system performance.

  • Check for resource contention such as CPU, memory, and disk usage

  • Optimize queries by reducing data scanned and avoiding unnecessary joins

  • Mo...read more

Asked in ZS

2d ago

Q. What is Hive in Big Data?

Ans.

Hive is a data warehouse infrastructure built on top of Hadoop for providing data summarization, query, and analysis.

  • Hive uses a SQL-like language called HiveQL to query and manage large datasets stored in Hadoop

  • It allows users to write complex queri...read more

Asked in Cognizant

6d ago

Q. How do you add data into a partitioned Hive table?

Ans.

To add data into a partitioned hive table, you can use the INSERT INTO statement with the PARTITION clause.

  • Use INSERT INTO statement to add data into the table.

  • Specify the partition column values using the PARTITION clause.

  • Example: INSERT INTO table_...read more

Asked in GlobalLogic

4d ago

Q. Explain the details of the Hive metastore.

Ans.

Hive meta store stores metadata about Hive tables, partitions, columns, and storage location.

  • Hive meta store is a central repository that stores metadata information about Hive tables, partitions, columns, and storage location.

  • It stores this metadata...read more

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Asked in Infosys

1d ago

Q. What are the differences between Hive and external tables?

Ans.

Hive tables store data in HDFS while external tables reference data stored outside HDFS.

  • Hive tables store data in HDFS, while external tables reference data stored outside HDFS.

  • External tables are useful when data needs to be shared across different ...read more

Asked in LTIMindtree

1d ago

Q. What are the differences between Hive external and managed tables?

Ans.

Hive External vs managed

  • Hive External tables store data outside of the Hive warehouse directory

  • Managed tables store data in the Hive warehouse directory

  • External tables can be used to access data from different storage systems

  • Managed tables are easier...read more

Asked in Wipro

3d ago

Q. Hive table loads on incremental process

Ans.

Hive table loads can be done incrementally by using partitioning or by using timestamp columns.

  • Partition the table based on a column like date or timestamp to load data incrementally

  • Use dynamic partition inserts to add new data to specific partitions...read more

Asked in Wipro

4d ago

Q. How do you eliminate duplicate records in a Hive table?

Ans.

Use DISTINCT keyword in SELECT query to eliminate duplicate records in a Hive table

  • Use SELECT DISTINCT * FROM table_name to retrieve unique records

  • Consider using GROUP BY clause with appropriate columns to eliminate duplicates

  • Utilize the ROW_NUMBER()...read more

Asked in Beeline

6d ago

Q. What are the different types of tables in Hive?

Ans.

Hive tables are used to store structured data in Hive, similar to tables in a traditional database.

  • Hive tables are created using the CREATE TABLE statement.

  • Tables can be partitioned based on one or more columns.

  • External tables in Hive store data outs...read more

Asked in EPAM Systems

3d ago

Q. Architecture of hive,types of hive table, file formats in hive, dynamic partition in hive

Ans.

Hive architecture, table types, file formats, and dynamic partitioning.

  • Hive architecture consists of metastore, driver, compiler, and execution engine.

  • Hive tables can be of two types: managed tables and external tables.

  • File formats supported by Hive ...read more

Asked in IBM

6d ago

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Hive?

Ans.

Hive is a data warehouse infrastructure built on top of Hadoop for providing data summarization, query, and analysis.

  • Advantages: SQL-like query language for querying large datasets, optimized for OLAP workloads, supports partitioning and bucketing fo...read more

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