Hadoop Hive Quiz - MCQ Questions and Answers

Welcome to the Hadoop Hive Quiz! This quiz is designed for beginners who are just starting with Hadoop Hive. The questions are simple and aim to test your basic understanding of Hive, how it works, and its primary functions within the Hadoop ecosystem. Let's get started!

1. What is Hive used for in Hadoop?

a) Data storage

b) Data processing

c) Data querying

d) Data ingestion

Answer:

c) Data querying

Explanation:

Hive is primarily used for querying and managing large datasets stored in Hadoop.

2. Which language does Hive use to query data?

a) SQL

b) HiveQL

c) NoSQL

d) HQL

Answer:

b) HiveQL

Explanation:

HiveQL is a query language used in Hive that is similar to SQL.

3. What kind of data is Hive primarily designed to handle?

a) Structured data

b) Unstructured data

c) Semi-structured data

d) Real-time data

Answer:

a) Structured data

Explanation:

Hive is mainly used to query structured data stored in Hadoop.

4. What is the default file format used by Hive?

a) ORC

b) Parquet

c) Text

d) Avro

Answer:

c) Text

Explanation:

By default, Hive uses the plain text file format, although other formats, such as ORC and Parquet, are also supported.

5. In Hive, what is a table?

a) A storage location for data

b) A processing unit

c) A querying engine

d) A metadata storage

Answer:

a) A storage location for data

Explanation:

A table in Hive represents a storage location for the actual data, similar to tables in a relational database.

6. Which component of Hive is responsible for compiling and executing queries?

a) MetaStore

b) Driver

c) Compiler

d) HiveServer

Answer:

b) Driver

Explanation:

The Driver is responsible for compiling and executing the HiveQL queries.

7. Which of the following is not a type of table in Hive?

a) Managed table

b) External table

c) Index table

d) Temporary table

Answer:

c) Index table

Explanation:

In Hive, there are managed tables, external tables, and temporary tables, but no specific type called "Index table."

8. What is the purpose of a partition in Hive?

a) To break a table into smaller parts

b) To store metadata

c) To manage user access

d) To increase query speed

Answer:

a) To break a table into smaller parts

Explanation:

Partitions in Hive allow a table to be divided into smaller, more manageable pieces, which can improve query performance.

9. What is a bucket in Hive?

a) A storage unit within a partition

b) A query execution plan

c) A metadata component

d) A type of database

Answer:

a) A storage unit within a partition

Explanation:

Buckets are subdivisions of data within partitions in Hive, used for more efficient data management and retrieval.

10. Which command is used to create a table in Hive?

a) CREATE

b) INSERT

c) SELECT

d) LOAD

Answer:

a) CREATE

Explanation:

The CREATE command is used in Hive to create a new table.

11. What is the default database in Hive?

a) system

b) default

c) hive

d) admin

Answer:

b) default

Explanation:

By default, Hive creates a database named "default" where all tables are stored if no other database is specified.

12. How can you switch to a different database in Hive?

a) SWITCH DATABASE <dbname>;

b) USE <dbname>;

c) SELECT DATABASE <dbname>;

d) SET DATABASE <dbname>;

Answer:

b) USE <dbname>;

Explanation:

The USE command is used in Hive to switch between databases.

13. In Hive, how can you load data into a table from a file?

a) INSERT INTO <table> VALUES FROM <file>;

b) LOAD DATA INPATH <filepath> INTO TABLE <table>;

c) SELECT * FROM <file> INTO <table>;

d) COPY <file> INTO <table>;

Answer:

b) LOAD DATA INPATH <filepath> INTO TABLE <table>;

Explanation:

The LOAD DATA command in Hive is used to load data into a table from a specified file path.

14. Which of the following is true about Hive's data model?

a) It supports complex nested data types

b) It can store unstructured data

c) It is a schema-on-read model

d) It uses a row-oriented storage format by default

Answer:

c) It is a schema-on-read model

Explanation:

Hive uses a schema-on-read model, meaning the schema is applied to data only when it is read, not when it is written.

15. What command is used to remove a table in Hive?

a) DROP TABLE <table_name>;

b) DELETE TABLE <table_name>;

c) REMOVE TABLE <table_name>;

d) TRUNCATE TABLE <table_name>;

Answer:

a) DROP TABLE <table_name>;

Explanation:

The DROP TABLE command is used to remove a table from the Hive database.

16. In Hive, what does the command DESCRIBE TABLE <table_name> do?

a) Shows the data stored in the table

b) Shows the structure of the table

c) Shows the query plan

d) Shows the partitions of the table

Answer:

b) Shows the structure of the table

Explanation:

The DESCRIBE TABLE command in Hive is used to display the structure of the table, including its columns and their data types.

17. Which file format is most efficient for storage in Hive?

a) Text

b) ORC

c) CSV

d) JSON

Answer:

b) ORC

Explanation:

ORC (Optimized Row Columnar) format is optimized for storage and query performance in Hive, making it more efficient than text or JSON.

18. What is the role of the MetaStore in Hive?

a) To store actual data

b) To store metadata about tables

c) To store user credentials

d) To store Hive configuration settings

Answer:

b) To store metadata about tables

Explanation:

The MetaStore in Hive is used to store metadata about tables, such as their schema, location, and other related information.

19. In Hive, how do you change the structure of an existing table?

a) ALTER TABLE <table_name>;

b) MODIFY TABLE <table_name>;

c) CHANGE TABLE <table_name>;

d) UPDATE TABLE <table_name>;

Answer:

a) ALTER TABLE <table_name>;

Explanation:

The ALTER TABLE command is used to change the structure of an existing table in Hive, such as adding or dropping columns.

20. Which Hive command is used to view all tables in a database?

a) SHOW TABLES;

b) LIST TABLES;

c) DESCRIBE TABLES;

d) SELECT TABLES;

Answer:

a) SHOW TABLES;

Explanation:

The SHOW TABLES command in Hive is used to list all the tables available in the current database.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the Hadoop Hive Quiz! These questions covered the basic concepts and commands of Hive, giving you a solid foundation for further exploration and learning. Whether you're just starting or refreshing your knowledge, understanding these fundamentals will help you work more effectively with Hive in your data projects.