# databricks-unity-catalog

Helps agents handle Unity Catalog permissions, configure row filters and column masks, manage storage, and query system tables in Databricks.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 325 installs · ★ 368
- Author: databricks
- License: LicenseRef-Unknown · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/databricks/databricks-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/databricks-unity-catalog

## What it does

This skill supplies instructions for managing Unity Catalog governance. The agent learns to craft `GRANT` and `REVOKE` statements, inspect object ownership, and implement row-level security or column masking using functions like `current_user()`. It also assists with definitions for external locations and storage credentials.

Reference notes cover metadata operations and file transfers in `/Volumes/`. When you copy files to volumes with `databricks fs`, the `dbfs:` scheme prefix is required. Leaving it out causes the tool to fail with a `no such directory` error.

You need the unified `databricks` CLI version 1.0.0 or higher. For resource creation, the skill advises passing the `--json` option because positional argument order differs across CLI commands and releases.

## Requirements
- Works with: Databricks

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add databricks/databricks-agent-skills --skill databricks-unity-catalog -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add databricks/databricks-agent-skills --skill databricks-unity-catalog -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add databricks/databricks-agent-skills --skill databricks-unity-catalog -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install databricks/databricks-agent-skills databricks-unity-catalog
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add databricks/databricks-agent-skills --skill databricks-unity-catalog -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/databricks/databricks-agent-skills --path skills/databricks-unity-catalog
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add databricks/databricks-agent-skills --skill databricks-unity-catalog -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/databricks/databricks-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/databricks-unity-catalog/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- grant and revoke privileges on catalogs, schemas, and tables
- configure column masks and row filters for sensitive fields
- register storage credentials and external locations
- query data lineage history from `system.access.table_lineage`
- upload and download files in managed or external volumes

## Example prompts
- Show which groups currently have access to the `analytics.gold.customers` table.
- Create a managed volume named `raw_data` in `sales.bronze` using the `--json` flag.
- Write a query on `system.access.table_lineage` to find upstream dependencies for `catalog.schema.table`.

## Similar
- [xlsx](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/xlsx.md) — skill · 187223 installs
- [google-agents-cli-observability](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/google-agents-cli-observability.md) — skill · 511300 installs
- [caveman-evidence-review](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/caveman-evidence-review.md) — skill · 104500 installs
- [migration](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/migration.md) — skill · 103900 installs
- [performance-optimization](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/performance-optimization.md) — skill · 65200 installs
- [supabase](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/supabase.md) — skill · 8 installs

From the same set: [databricks/databricks-agent-skills](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/databricks/databricks-agent-skills.md) — 12 cards

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md
