JanKaul commented on code in PR #11041:
URL: https://github.com/apache/iceberg/pull/11041#discussion_r4106527492


##########
format/view-spec.md:
##########
@@ -160,7 +180,116 @@ Each entry in `version-log` is a struct with the 
following fields:
 | _required_  | `timestamp-ms` | Timestamp when the view's 
`current-version-id` was updated (ms from epoch) |
 | _required_  | `version-id`   | ID that `current-version-id` was set to |
 
-## Appendix A: An Example
+#### Storage Table Identifier
+
+The table identifier for the storage table that stores the precomputed results.
+
+| Requirement | Field name     | Description |
+|-------------|----------------|-------------|
+| _required_  | `namespace`    | A list of strings for namespace levels |
+| _required_  | `name`         | A string specifying the name of the table |
+
+### Storage table metadata
+
+This section describes additional metadata for the storage table that 
supplements the regular table metadata and is required for materialized views.
+The `refresh-state` property is set on the [snapshot 
summary](https://iceberg.apache.org/spec/#snapshots) property of a storage 
table snapshot to provide information about the state of the precomputed data.
+
+| Requirement | Field name      | Description |
+|-------------|-----------------|-------------|
+| _optional_  | `refresh-state` | A [refresh state](#refresh-state) record 
stored as a JSON-encoded string |
+
+#### Freshness
+
+A materialized view is **fresh** when the storage table represents the result 
of the current view query. However, consumers may still decide to consume from 
a stale storage table based on their own policies.
+
+A change to the materialized view's definition produces a new 
`view-version-id`; any storage-table snapshot recorded at a prior 
`view-version-id` is invalid and should not be consumed until refreshed.
+
+#### Refresh state
+
+The refresh state record captures the state of dependencies that the producer 
chose to track from the materialized view's dependency graph. A dependency is 
recorded in `source-states` as either a `table` entry (a source table or an 
source materialized view's storage table) and/or a `view` entry. Source 
materialized views can be stored as a `view` and a `table` entry.
+
+The refresh state has the following fields:
+
+| Requirement | Field name                   | Description |
+|-------------|------------------------------|-------------|
+| _required_  | `view-version-id`            | The `version-id` of the 
materialized view when the refresh operation was performed |
+| _required_  | `source-states`              | A list of [source 
state](#source-state) records capturing the dependencies the producer chose to 
track; may be empty |
+| _required_  | `refresh-start-timestamp-ms` | A timestamp of when the refresh 
operation was started |
+
+##### Producer: Recording Refresh State
+
+Producers may selectively choose a subset of their dependencies to record — 
for example, skipping non-Iceberg sources or recording an empty list. See 
[Appendix B](#appendix-b-what-counts-as-a-dependency) for strategies on how to 
store dependency state.
+
+When writing the refresh state, producers:
+
+* **Must** record `view-version-id` and `refresh-start-timestamp-ms`.
+* **Should** include all distinct source states for the inputs they chose to 
track if they are reachable through multiple paths in the dependency graph.
+* **May** leave `source-states` empty (e.g., when sources are non-Iceberg or 
freshness is determined by a mechanism outside this spec).
+
+##### Consumer: Evaluating Refresh State
+
+Consumers may use any combination of the following to assess the state of 
dependencies used to produce the storage table.
+
+* **Recency policy.** Accept the storage table when 
`refresh-start-timestamp-ms` falls within a staleness window. A recency policy 
bounds data age but does not establish freshness.
+* **Trust the recorded `source-states`.** Compare each entry against the 
current catalog state — `snapshot-id` for tables, `version-id` for views, 
optionally recursive verification for source materialized views recorded by 
their storage tables. Also confirm that the recorded `view-version-id` equals 
the materialized view's current `view-version-id`.

Review Comment:
   For a materialized view to be fresh the snapshot has to be the head on any 
branch or ref (the default being main). It is my understanding that those 
snapshots will never be removed by compaction. So, snapshots removed by 
compaction cannot be the head. As a consequence any MV whose refresh-state 
points to a removed snaptshot-id has to be stale and needs to be refreshed.
   For incremental refreshs it is the query engines or platforms job to make 
sure to not delete any snapshot before they have been utilized for incremental 
refreshs.
   
   Maybe I'm misunderstanding the issue. But as far as determining 
freshness/staleness, I think the current spec suffices.



-- 
This is an automated message from the Apache Git Service.
To respond to the message, please log on to GitHub and use the
URL above to go to the specific comment.

To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]

For queries about this service, please contact Infrastructure at:
[email protected]


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]

Reply via email to