Introducing The Databricks Now — Pro
The latest Databricks features, tested hands-on and explained simply. Every month.
If you work with Databricks, you know the feeling.
Every month brings new features, previews, renamed products and changed defaults. Release notes pile up. Blog posts say everything is “game-changing.” Then you try something in a real project and find the limitation nobody mentioned.
I’ve spent 16 years working hands-on with Databricks, and I kept seeing the same problem: the information exists, but nobody has time to work out what actually matters.
So I’m launching something to fix that.
What is The Databricks Now — Pro?
It’s a monthly membership where I test the latest Databricks features myself and turn them into clear, practical insights.
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No hype or marketing language. For each feature you get just three questions answered:
- What is it, really? In plain English.
- Should you use it? A clear verdict.
- What will bite you? The gotchas I found by testing it.
How every feature is reviewed
Each feature gets the same simple format:
What it is: a 2–3 line plain-English summary.
Why it matters: the problem it solves and who it’s for?
Verdict: Adopt · Try in a pilot · Wait · Ignore
Gotchas: limits, cost surprises, preview restrictions, compatibility issues
Compared to: the old way, or the alternatives
Read more: links to the official docs
You can skim it in 15 minutes and walk away knowing exactly where to focus.
What members get
- Monthly brief: every important new feature, simplified
- Honest verdicts: so you know what’s worth your team’s time
- Real gotchas: from hands-on testing, not press releases
- In-depth reviews: one detailed review a month on a feature that matters
- Gotcha Log archive: a growing, searchable record of issues and workarounds
- Live sessions and Q&A: monthly walkthroughs with time for your questions
Who it’s for
Data architects, tech leads and senior data engineers who need to make smart Databricks decisions without spending hours on research.
If you’re the person your team asks “should we use this new feature?”, this membership is built for you.
Founding member offer
Founding members also help shape what gets covered. Tell me which features you want reviewed, and they go to the top of the list.
Join The Databricks Now — Pro on Topmate
Not ready to join yet?
Follow me here on Medium and on LinkedIn. I’ll keep sharing free reviews and gotchas every week, so you can see the style before you decide.
And if there’s a Databricks feature you’ve been unsure about, leave it in the comments. It might become the first review.
The Databricks Now is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Databricks.
