Lake Database vs SQL Database in Synapse

Hi mpolonskiy5637 ,

Thanks for using Fabric Community.

Managed vs. External Tables/Views in Serverless SQL Pools:

• Managed Tables: 
  These reside within a dedicated SQL pool, with data physically stored in the dedicated pool's storage.
• External Tables/Views: 
  Serverless SQL pools work with your existing data in Azure Data Lake Gen2. You create external tables that point to the data location in the Data Lake. Views offer another layer of abstraction on top of the data, allowing for custom logic or filtering.

Lake vs. SQL Database in Serverless SQL Pools:

While both are logical constructs, there are key differences:

• Lake Database: 
  This is specifically designed for working with data in its native format within the Data Lake (Parquet, CSV, etc.). It provides a familiar T-SQL syntax for querying the data directly without movement. Use this when you prioritize flexibility and working with various data formats natively.
• SQL Database: 
  This offers a more traditional relational database structure. While the data physically resides in the Data Lake, the SQL Database provides a schema definition and enforces data types. Use this when you need a structured environment with defined relationships between tables and data integrity checks.

Choosing Between Lake and SQL Database:

• Flexibility vs. Structure: 
  If you need maximum flexibility and want to query various data formats directly, choose a Lake Database. If you require a structured environment with schema and data type enforcement, opt for the SQL Database.

Hope this is helpful. Please let me know incase of further queries.