How can I connect databricks apps with Unity Catalog?

[vedant1611]

Hi,

I'm working on building a Databricks app to streamline several team tasks through a user-friendly data application.

One key feature I’d like to implement is integrating Databricks Apps with Unity Catalog. Specifically, I want to display a dropdown in the UI that lists all tables within a selected Unity Catalog schema. Once a table is selected, users should be able to perform data profiling directly from the app.

Is it possible to achieve this level of connectivity and interaction between Databricks Apps and Unity Catalog? If so, could you provide guidance or best practices for implementing this functionality?

Thanks

[ximenesfel · Accepted solution]

Hi @vedant1611 ,

Yes, it is possible to integrate Databricks Apps with Unity Catalog to achieve the functionality you're describing.

You can build a Databricks app—such as one using Streamlit—that dynamically queries Unity Catalog to list schemas, tables, and even perform operations like data profiling on selected tables. The Unity Catalog APIs allow you to programmatically retrieve catalog metadata, which can be used to populate UI elements like dropdowns.

To help you get started, the following resource provides a practical example of how to integrate Databricks Apps with Unity Catalog using Streamlit:

👉 Databricks Apps Cookbook – Unity Catalog Integration Example

This example demonstrates how to:

• Query Unity Catalog to fetch catalog, schema, and table metadata

• Build interactive dropdowns based on those metadata

• Perform actions like displaying table previews or profiling data

By following this guide, you can enable your users to seamlessly interact with Unity Catalog directly from the Databricks App interface.