> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wherobots.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Havasu data catalogs

> Work with data catalogs in Havasu Catalog, connect WherobotsDB to external data catalogs, or access your tables from another engine.

**Havasu Catalog** is Wherobots' asset governance layer. It includes a **data catalog** and a **model catalog**. This section covers data catalogs; references to a "catalog" here mean a data catalog.

A data catalog organizes table metadata so a query engine can find and work with the underlying data. WherobotsDB is the lakehouse compute engine that runs queries. You can use Wherobots' data catalogs and WherobotsDB together, or connect either one to other systems.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Older documentation used **Havasu** for Wherobots' Iceberg table-format fork. **Havasu Catalog** now names the asset governance layer. For table formats and migration guidance, see [Iceberg tables](https://docs.wherobots.com/data-engineering/iceberg-tables/overview.md).

| Workflow | Who manages the catalog? | Which engine runs your queries? |
| - | - | - |
| Use Wherobots data catalogs | Wherobots | WherobotsDB |
| Connect WherobotsDB to external catalogs | AWS Glue, Databricks Unity Catalog, or Amazon S3 Tables | WherobotsDB |
| Connect external engines to Wherobots catalogs | Wherobots | The external engine, such as Snowflake |

## Use Wherobots data catalogs

Store your own tables in your Organization's default `org_catalog`, or create another managed catalog backed by your own S3 storage. Wherobots manages the catalog metadata. You can also query datasets that Wherobots hosts in `wherobots_open_data` and `wherobots_pro_data`.

* [Your Organization's catalogs](https://docs.wherobots.com/data-engineering/catalogs/organization-catalogs.md)
* [Wherobots open data](https://docs.wherobots.com/tutorials/spatial-catalog/introduction.md)
* [Query tables with WherobotsDB](https://docs.wherobots.com/develop/spatial-catalog/spatial-catalog.md)

## Connect WherobotsDB to external catalogs

Use WherobotsDB to analyze tables already registered in AWS Glue, Databricks Unity Catalog, or Amazon S3 Tables. The external service continues to manage the catalog; Wherobots registers it as a **foreign catalog**. Read and write support depends on the integration, table format, and permissions.

[Choose an external catalog and connect it →](https://docs.wherobots.com/get-started/initial-storage/data-federation-overview.md)

## Connect external engines to Wherobots catalogs

Use another engine to access tables in a Wherobots-managed catalog through the **Iceberg REST catalog API**. Wherobots continues to manage the catalog; the external engine runs the queries. Check the engine's support for reads, writes, Iceberg versions, and column types before connecting.

[Review compatibility and connect Snowflake →](https://docs.wherobots.com/data-engineering/catalogs/external-engines.md)

## Browse catalogs in Wherobots Cloud

The **Data Catalogs** page is the Cloud interface for browsing catalogs and table metadata, including connected foreign catalogs. Queries run in the engine you choose. See [Browse and manage catalogs](https://docs.wherobots.com/get-started/initial-storage/data-hub.md) for the Cloud UI guide.


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