---
title: File Format (Model Object)
description: File Format (FileFormat) sets the table format of the tables that the generator creates for a model object.
---

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# File Format (Model Object)

**Applies to**  
Platform: Databricks · Databricks dbt · Fabric Lakehouse

File Format (`FileFormat`) sets the table format of the tables that the generator creates for a model object. The only value is `delta`, so every generated table is a Delta table.

The property is not available on Microsoft SQL Server, Snowflake, Snowflake dbt, Fabric Warehouse and Oracle.

### Where to set it

Set File Format when you [edit a model object](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/edit-a-model-object?hsLang=en). It is available on the model object types that these generators store as tables, for example Stage, Store Entity, Hub, Satellite, Fact or Mart Dimension. Source objects do not have it.

### Values

- `delta`: the table is created in the Delta Lake format. The [Delta Lake documentation](https://docs.delta.io/latest/index.html) describes the format.

### Default value

`delta`.

### Effect on generated tables

- Databricks and Fabric Lakehouse: the deployment notebook creates the table with `USING delta`.
- Databricks dbt: the dbt model has `file_format='delta'` in its `config` block.

### Example

The Stage `LOYALTYCARD` on Databricks keeps the default. Its deployment notebook creates the table like this:

```
CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE ... `stg_st_loyaltycard` (
     `bg_sourcefilepath` String NOT NULL
    ,`bg_loadtimestamp` Timestamp NOT NULL
    ...
)
USING delta
```

A Hub `load_customer_hub` in a Databricks dbt project gets this model configuration:

```
config(
    materialized='bg_append',
    ...
    file_format='delta',
)
```

### Related articles

- Reference: [Optimization Method (Model Object)](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/optimization-method-model-object?hsLang=en), [Optimization Method Columns (Model Object)](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/optimization-method-columns-model-object?hsLang=en)
- See also: [Optimize load performance](https://knowledge.bigenius-x.com/optimize-load-performance?hsLang=en)

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