Databricks-DA-Assoc Analyzing Queries Practice Question
When reviewing a query profile, an analyst sees a 'Broadcast Hash Join'. What does this tell the analyst about the data being joined?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates assume a Broadcast Hash Join means both tables are large, missing the fact that it is only triggered when one table is small.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
One of the tables is small enough to fit in memory.
A Broadcast Hash Join indicates that one side of the join is small enough to be sent to all executor nodes. This is an extremely efficient join type as it eliminates shuffling. For analysts, recognizing this confirms that the optimizer has successfully identified a small table, which is a positive performance indicator. If a join is expected to be small but isn't broadcast, the analyst may need to check table statistics.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The join is extremely memory-intensive.
Why it's wrong here
Broadcast joins are actually memory-efficient for the large table, as they avoid moving it. The small table is loaded into the memory of every executor node. While this requires the small table to fit in memory, it is generally much faster than a standard shuffle join for most scenarios.
- ✓
One of the tables is small enough to fit in memory.
Why this is correct
The optimizer selects a broadcast join when it determines that one table is small enough to be replicated across all nodes. This avoids shuffling the larger table, which drastically speeds up execution. If the analyst sees this, it confirms the optimizer is leveraging the table size effectively.
- ✗
The query is performing a cross join.
Why it's wrong here
A cross join (Cartesian product) would be identified by a 'CartesianProduct' operator in the plan, which is usually a massive performance issue. A Broadcast Hash Join is a specific join strategy and does not inherently imply that the query logic is a cross join without an ON clause.
- ✗
The data is skewed and needs re-partitioning.
Why it's wrong here
A broadcast join is often a sign of good optimization. If data were highly skewed, the optimizer might struggle to choose a broadcast join if the skewed table is large. Seeing this in the plan generally suggests that the data distribution is balanced enough for the optimizer to proceed.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Databricks exam blueprint
This Databricks-DA-Assoc practice question is part of Courseiva's free Databricks certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the Databricks-DA-Assoc exam.