What is the function of the timestamp in HBase?

HBase timestamps are used to identify different versions of data stored in HBase tables. Each time a cell is updated, a separate timestamp is assigned to that update.

Each cell in an HBase table can have multiple versions, each with a unique timestamp. When reading data, you can specify a specific version to read or a range of versions within a certain time frame. This allows HBase to store historical data and support time series queries.

Timestamps are also used to resolve concurrent write conflicts in HBase. When multiple clients are writing to the same cell simultaneously, HBase uses timestamps to determine the newest write operation and stores it as the current version, while keeping the old versions as historical data.

Furthermore, timestamps are also utilized for the order of data writing. In HBase, data is stored in order of timestamps, with newer data overwriting older data. This can provide higher performance in time range queries.

In summary, HBase timestamps are used to identify data versions, support time series queries, resolve concurrent write conflicts, and determine the order of data writes.