How does HBase deal with data version control?

HBase is a distributed, column-oriented NoSQL database that organizes data using row keys, column families, and column qualifiers. Versioning in HBase is achieved by setting timestamps for data. When writing new data, a timestamp can be assigned to it, typically a number or timestamp. HBase stores data in chronological order based on timestamps, with only the newest version being visible.

When retrieving data, historical versions can be obtained by specifying a timestamp or a version number. If a timestamp is not specified, HBase will default to returning the latest version. Additionally, HBase supports an automatic expiration mechanism to delete expired data versions based on the timestamp, reducing storage space usage.

In general, the version control mechanism of HBase is very flexible, allowing for customization based on business requirements and data characteristics to better manage historical versions of data.