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databricks Platform · Updated Sep 14, 2026

The counter_diff SQL window function is now available

The counter diff window function calculates differences between consecutive cumulative counter values and handles counter resets, for time series analysis of counter data.

GA Open docs ↗release note ↗
What it does

The counter diff window function calculates differences between consecutive cumulative counter values and handles counter resets, for time series analysis of counter data. It is available in Databricks SQL and Databricks Runtime 19 and above. Applies to: Databricks SQL Databricks Runtime 19.0 and above Computes the differences between consecutive cumulative counter values in a time series, converting cumulative counters to delta format.

Why it matters

Reduces operational overhead and unlocks new capabilities for data teams on Databricks.

Key capabilities
Use PARTITION BY to separate
Use PARTITION BY to separate independent counters. Typical partition columns are the metric name and any attributes tied to the…
Use ORDER BY to define
Use ORDER BY to define the order. This is typically a timestamp column tied to the metric.
Architecture
Databricks Platform → Platform
In short

The counter diff window function calculates differences between consecutive cumulative counter values and handles counter resets, for time series analysis of counter data. It is available in Databricks SQL and Databricks Runtime 19 and above.

Read the full documentation ↗
Key takeaway
The counter diff window function calculates differences between consecutive cumulative counter values and handles counter resets, for time series analysis of counter data.
2026-09-14-the-counter-diff-sql-window-function-is-now-available Generated by the Databricks Updates Agent · browse all updates