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Database / Apache Cassandra Intermediate and Advanced interview questions

What is a batch statement in Cassandra, and what's the difference between logged and unlogged batches?

A batch statement groups multiple CQL writes into a single request. Its main purpose is atomicity across statements, not performance.

Logged BatchUnlogged Batch
Default batch type; writes a batchlog entry first for atomicity.Skips the batchlog; no atomicity guarantee across partitions.
Guarantees all statements eventually apply, even after a coordinator crash mid-batch.Faster, but a crash mid-batch can leave some writes applied and others not.
Adds overhead: extra writes to the batchlog system table.Best suited for statements that all target the same partition, where atomicity is naturally scoped anyway.
BEGIN UNLOGGED BATCH
  INSERT INTO orders (order_id, status) VALUES ('o1', 'new');
  INSERT INTO orders (order_id, status) VALUES ('o2', 'new');
APPLY BATCH;

Logged batches are appropriate when you genuinely need cross-partition atomicity (e.g. updating a record and a corresponding denormalized table together), while unlogged batches are best reserved for multiple writes to the same partition, where they can reduce round trips without sacrificing correctness.

What extra step does a logged batch perform that an unlogged batch skips?
Unlogged batches are best suited for statements that target what?

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