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How do you handle schema evolution in a data pipeline or lakehouse without breaking consumers?

A new column is safe; a rename silently corrupts every dashboard downstream. The signal is knowing which changes are compatible, enforcing data contracts in CI, and running expand-contract migrations for the breaking ones.

Updated Aug 2026 · Grounded in real Applied AI Engineer interview loops and written to a senior-engineer editorial bar.

A new column is safe; a rename silently corrupts every dashboard downstream. The signal is knowing which changes are compatible, enforcing data contracts in CI, and running expand-contract migrations for the breaking ones.

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