Context attributes in ABAC column mask and row filter policies (Beta)
Context attributes for attribute-based access control (ABAC) policies are in Beta. You can now write Unity Catalog ABAC policy conditions that target the context of a request, such as which OAuth application is calling ( request.client_id ) and whether the request runs on behalf of a user ( request.is_on_behalf_of ).
Also shipped Aug 21, 2026Databricks in August 2026 →
Version targeting for Cortex Agent and Cortex Analyst evaluations (General availability)
Cortex Agent and Cortex Analyst evaluations now let you control the versioned configuration used for scoring: Version targeting pins the configuration under evaluation, not the agent behavior that gets evaluated: each run invokes the agent again and scores a newly generated trace.
CoCo automations in CLI and Snowsight (Preview)
CoCo automations in the CoCo CLI and CoCo in Snowsight are now available in public preview. Automations let you schedule recurring, unattended CoCo runs that execute in a Snowflake-managed sandbox. Each run creates a Cortex thread that you can inspect and continue in CoCo. Automations created from one surface can be monitored and managed from the other.
xAI's Grok 4.6
Grok 4.6 is available in Preview in Model Garden.
Gemini Enterprise: New data stores and support for new actions (Public Preview)
The following data stores are available in Public Preview in Gemini Enterprise: Atlan Bitly : Create QR code, create short link, update QR code, and update short link. FactSet AI-Ready Data FullStory Globalping Pendo Stripe You can search and read data from these data stores using natural language.
AWS Glue 6.0 now available with 30% lower price and full Apache Iceberg v3 support
Today, we are announcing the general availability of AWS Glue 6.0 , delivering 30% lower pricing than previous AWS Glue versions and introducing full support for Apache Iceberg v3 features. AWS Glue 6.0 is built on a fully modernized runtime, Apache Spark 4.1, Python 3.13, and Scala 2.13, delivering faster performance.
OpenAI cuts GPT-5.6 Sol pricing to $4 input and $20 output per MTok
GPT-5.6 Sol input pricing drops 20% and output pricing 33%. The promotional price runs at least through November 21, 2026.
More from Unity CatalogEvery Unity Catalog release →
Unity Catalog OSS UnityCatalog 0.6.0
We are thrilled to announce Unity Catalog 0.6.0 release, which includes exciting new features, many bug fixes, and improvements. A huge thank you to the awesome community who made this release possible!
Role-based access control (RBAC) will soon be available by default for workspaces with the compliance security profile enabled
Role-based access control (RBAC) will be available by default for workspaces with the compliance security profile enabled in mid-September 2026. RBAC lets users assume a role in Databricks. When a user assumes a role, only that role's permissions apply, rather than the user's accumulated permissions. This enables exclusive access.
Role-based access control (RBAC) is generally available
Role-based access control (RBAC) is now generally available. RBAC lets users assume a role in Databricks. When a user assumes a role, only that role's permissions apply, rather than the user's accumulated permissions. This enables exclusive access.
Secrets in Unity Catalog will soon be available by default for workspaces with the compliance security profile enabled
Secrets in Unity Catalog will be available by default for workspaces with the compliance security profile enabled in late September 2026. Store, govern, and access secrets as securable objects in Unity Catalog.
The INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE privileges are in Beta
The INSERT , UPDATE , and DELETE privileges are in Beta in Unity Catalog. These privileges are least-privilege alternatives to MODIFY that let you grant write access to a table's data without also granting the ability to change its schema or other metadata. The privileges require Databricks Runtime 18.1 or above.
Upcoming deprecation of the data quality monitoring downstream_impact column
The downstream_impact column in the data quality monitoring results system table is being deprecated. Deprecation begins September 7, 2026, and rolls out gradually across regions over the following week. Until the rollout reaches your workspace, you might still be able to query downstream_impact .
Upcoming deprecation of the data quality monitoring root_cause_analysis column
The root_cause_analysis column in the data quality monitoring results system table is being deprecated. Deprecation begins August 18, 2026, and rolls out gradually across regions over the following several days. Until the rollout reaches your workspace, you might still be able to query root_cause_analysis .
Identity attributes in ABAC column mask policies (Beta)
Identity attributes are in Beta. You can now write Unity Catalog ABAC column mask policy conditions that target users by attributes synced from your identity provider, such as department or country , in addition to group membership.