> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.pinot.apache.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.pinot.apache.org/release-1.6.0/reference/release-notes/releases/1.6.0.md). # 1.6.0 Release Notes for 1.6.0 Changes since Apache Pinot 1.5.1. [Download Apache Pinot 1.6.0](https://pinot.apache.org/download/) and read the [release notes](https://github.com/apache/pinot/releases/tag/release-1.6.0). ## Highlights * SQL DDL: manage tables with CREATE TABLE, DROP TABLE, SHOW TABLES, and SHOW CREATE TABLE through the controller's /sql/ddl endpoint. Materialized views gain CREATE/SHOW/DROP DDL and single-stage query-rewrite support. * Analytics: GROUPING SETS, ROLLUP, and CUBE are supported in both query engines. Multi-stage execution also gains streaming distinct execution and lookup-join planning improvements. * Vector search: add IVF\_FLAT, IVF\_PQ, and IVF\_ON\_DISK backends alongside HNSW, with filter-aware search, radius queries, and backend tuning controls. * Data handling: introduce OPEN\_STRUCT for evolving nested data, a logical UUID type, Arrow IPC batch ingestion, and BSON input support. * Reliability: improve null-aware filtering, multi-stage buffer cleanup during failure/cancellation, and transactional Kafka offset handling. ## Fixes and improvements * **Lucene rollback recovery:** rebuild incompatible text and HNSW indexes from retained original forward-index values during segment loading. Compatible indexes are reused; missing recovery sources fail before replacing the index. Lucene remains 9.12.0. Install this recovery release on the rollback target before a later Lucene upgrade, and retain the original forward indexes. Rebuilding adds CPU/I/O and loading time. [#19976](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19976), [#19900](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19900). * **Legacy table-config notices:** record deprecation versions, replacement guidance and removal intent for 16 legacy properties. The changes are limited to annotations/Javadoc; runtime acceptance and JSON compatibility remain unchanged. [#19978](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19978), [#18411](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/18411). * **Approximation reporting:** the `approximatedResult` response flag reports when a SMART aggregation actually produces an approximate result, including explicit SMART queries, rather than whether a rewrite occurred. The corresponding broker meter is `BROKER_RESPONSES_WITH_APPROXIMATED_RESULT`, and the query-log field is `approximatedResult`. Always-approximate functions do not set this flag. [#19972](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19972). * **Conditional aggregate correctness:** run the multi-stage approximate rewrite after CASE-to-FILTER conversion to preserve NULL handling for conditional distinct counts when approximation parameters are configured. Automatic approximate rewriting remains disabled by default. [#19977](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19977), [#19974](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19974). ## Upgrade notes and removals * Pinot services now require Java 25 or newer to build and run. Java/JDBC clients and the explicitly pinned SPI/common artifacts continue to target Java 11 bytecode. Update service JVMs and check custom service plugins before upgrading. * The default Scala binary version changes to 2.13. Official Spark 3 artifacts, including pinot-spark-3-connector, are compiled for Scala 2.13; their Maven artifact IDs have no Scala-version suffix. These artifacts require Java 25 and Spark built for Scala 2.13. Scala 2.12 requires a custom source build using the scala-2.12 profile. * Native text/FST indexes and TEXT\_CONTAINS are removed. Migrate affected configurations and queries to supported Lucene text/FST facilities and TEXT\_MATCH, reviewing the query semantics before upgrading. * Spark 2 and Presto integrations, the deprecated Kafka high-level consumer, and several APIs deprecated in releases through 1.3.0 are removed. Recompile custom integrations against 1.6.0 and replace removed API calls. * New and updated schemas submitted through the controller reject deprecated TimeFieldSpec (fieldType=TIME); existing stored schemas can still load. Use DateTimeFieldSpec (fieldType=DATE\_TIME). * Legacy controller periodic-task aliases are removed. For example, replace controller.retention.frequencyInSeconds with controller.retention.frequencyPeriod and a duration value such as 6h. * Kafka's raw auto.offset.reset property now defaults to earliest when omitted. This controls recovery from unavailable Kafka offsets and is separate from Pinot's stream.kafka.consumer.prop.auto.offset.reset initial partition-offset setting. Set the raw property explicitly if another recovery behavior is required. * Single-stage queries no longer silently ignore HAVING; unsupported QUALIFY clauses are rejected. Review queries that relied on the earlier behavior. ## SMART aggregation mixed-version restrictions The approximation-reporting change adds DataTable metadata and StatMap keys that older readers cannot safely skip. The risk occurs when a SMART aggregation actually turns approximate, including a SMART function explicitly written in a query. Leaving automatic rewriting disabled does **not** protect explicit SMART queries. * Upgrade brokers before servers for the DataTable path. An old broker receiving new final-result metadata can misread subsequent metadata or fail with `BufferUnderflowException`. * Broker-first ordering alone does not make arbitrary server canaries or downgrades safe. In the multi-stage path, an older StatMap reader can drop that query's statistics, including `numGroupsLimitReached`, on encountering a new ordinal. Avoid approximation-producing SMART execution on paths where older components would receive the new metadata; do not assume arbitrary canary/downgrade combinations are supported. * Older servers returning final results do not emit the new metadata. During that transition, a newer broker can report `approximatedResult=false` for a result produced from a sketch. Treat the flag as incomplete until relevant servers are upgraded. These are known compatibility limits of [#19972](https://github.com/apache/pinot/pull/19972), not fixed by the CASE-ordering fix. Plan the rollout and query controls accordingly. ## Release artifacts Release commit: `affe120ac8e858ace266961931f0c4dabfe21704`. * [Source distribution](https://downloads.apache.org/pinot/apache-pinot-1.6.0/apache-pinot-1.6.0-src.tar.gz), [signature](https://downloads.apache.org/pinot/apache-pinot-1.6.0/apache-pinot-1.6.0-src.tar.gz.asc), [SHA-512](https://downloads.apache.org/pinot/apache-pinot-1.6.0/apache-pinot-1.6.0-src.tar.gz.sha512). * [Binary distribution](https://downloads.apache.org/pinot/apache-pinot-1.6.0/apache-pinot-1.6.0-bin.tar.gz), [signature](https://downloads.apache.org/pinot/apache-pinot-1.6.0/apache-pinot-1.6.0-bin.tar.gz.asc), [SHA-512](https://downloads.apache.org/pinot/apache-pinot-1.6.0/apache-pinot-1.6.0-bin.tar.gz.sha512). * [Maven Central artifacts](https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/org/apache/pinot/). Signing key: `F6C06B50BFB7A502B1F95901FE4489E8BC6B342D` ([Apache Pinot KEYS](https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/release/pinot/KEYS)). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.pinot.apache.org/release-1.6.0/reference/release-notes/releases/1.6.0.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. 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