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Data orientation
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<p>Data orientation is the representation of <a href="/facts/Table_(database)/5INvK1Vd">tabular data</a> in a <a href="/facts/Flat_memory_model/6JIUgugY"> linear memory model</a> such as <a href="/facts/Computer_data_storage/wPHKFpdx">in-disk</a> or <a href="/facts/Random-access_memory/DuD4bxh6">in-memory</a>. The two most common representations are column-oriented (columnar format) and row-oriented (row format). </p><p>The choice of data orientation is a <a href="/facts/Trade-off/xY3nXnJN">trade-off</a> and an <a href="/facts/Architectural_decision/oFQLhX1u">architectural decision</a> in <a href="/facts/Database/VYcpkevb">databases</a>, query engines, and numerical simulations. As a result of these tradeoffs, row-oriented formats are more commonly used in <a href="/facts/Online_transaction_processing/zTIGyx1t">Online transaction processing</a> (OLTP) and column-oriented formats are more commonly used in <a href="/facts/Online_analytical_processing/VNNbIlD0">Online analytical processing</a> (OLAP). </p><p>Examples of column-oriented formats include <a href="/facts/Apache_ORC/INdFBRpm">Apache ORC</a>, <a href="/facts/Apache_Parquet/BuT8WYeR">Apache Parquet</a>, <a href="/facts/Apache_Arrow/BnuVf8We">Apache Arrow</a>, formats used by <a href="/facts/BigQuery/4LbkbUoV">BigQuery</a>, <a href="/facts/Amazon_Redshift/uvPGNRfj">Amazon Redshift</a> and <a href="/facts/Snowflake_Inc./t8zG3Xld">Snowflake</a>. Predominant examples of row-oriented formats include CSV, formats used in most <a href="/facts/Relational_database/pEKGmJLy">relational databases</a>, the in-memory format of <a href="/facts/Apache_Spark/rHQVfSBc">Apache Spark</a>, and <a href="/facts/Apache_Avro/eTn7FdRH">Apache Avro</a>. </p>