aws AWS What's New · · 4.0.2

Amazon EMR GA Support for Apache Spark 4.0.2

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feature patch

Amazon EMR now generally available supports Apache Spark 4.0.2, enhancing data pipeline development with ANSI SQL and VARIANT data types. This update enables finer access control and strengthens compliance through Apache Iceberg v3, benefiting data engineers and analysts working with diverse data formats and regulatory requirements. It also improves real-time application deployment with enhanced streaming, and is available in all EMR regions, with an upgrade agent for existing applications.

  • Support for Apache Spark 4.0.2 on Amazon EMR
  • Improved Data Handling and Access Control
  • Enhanced Compliance and Governance
  • Faster Real-Time Application Deployment
  • Availability and Upgrade Information
Features (1)
  • Support for Apache Spark 4.0.2 on Amazon EMR

    Amazon EMR now supports Apache Spark 4.0.2 across all three deployment models, offering enhanced capabilities for building and maintaining data pipelines.

Enhancements (3)
  • Improved Data Handling and Access Control

    Spark 4.0.2 supports ANSI SQL and VARIANT data types for easier data pipeline creation and flexible handling of semi-structured data. Fine-grained access control (FGAC) can be enforced at row or column levels for AWS Lake Formation registered tables.

  • Enhanced Compliance and Governance

    The Apache Iceberg v3 table format is supported, providing stronger transaction guarantees and data lineage tracking for audit trails and regulatory compliance.

  • Faster Real-Time Application Deployment

    Enhanced streaming capabilities simplify management of stateful operations and improve monitoring, enabling faster deployment of real-time applications for use cases like fraud detection and personalization.

Notes (1)
  • Availability and Upgrade Information

    Apache Spark 4.0.2 is available in all regions where EMR is available. An Apache Spark upgrade agent is available to accelerate upgrades for existing EMR applications.

Read the original announcement →

https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2026/05/amazon-emr-apache-spark/

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