# What is Databricks? Unified Data Analytics and AI Platform Explained > What is Databricks, and how it unifies data collection, ingestion, and analytics in the cloud. Key features, use cases, and HubSpot setup. Source: https://www.erathos.com/en/blog/what-is-databricks-complete-guide Em português: https://www.erathos.com/blog/what-is-databricks-complete-guide Published: 2026-05-02 Category: Tool Guides ![What is Databricks?](https://cms-media.erathos.com/q3KB9Bnji9lO2J9FWE33hRDNs-1.png) ## What is Databricks? What is Databricks? This is often one of the first questions from curious professionals looking at modern cloud platforms that are reshaping how companies handle data. Databricks is a cloud-based platform designed to help organizations collect, move, and analyze massive volumes of data with speed and simplicity. It offers tools for every kind of team, whether engineering, analytics, or business. Companies like Erathos specialize in making it even easier to connect Databricks to your unique data stack, so you never have to struggle with broken integrations or manual data work again. > Make your data work for you, not the other way around. Whether you want to move faster or make smarter decisions, understanding what Databricks brings to the table is an excellent starting point. And if you want to get started with Databricks quickly, Erathos can help. ## What does Databricks do? Databricks is like a command center for everything related to data. Cloud-native and collaborative, its main job is to centralize the collection, movement, and analysis of enterprise data. With Databricks, you connect to multiple sources, run code to process your data, and manage workflows, all in one place. Core features include: **Data processing**: Databricks organizes and manages massive datasets, no matter where they are, whether in files, databases, or even across different clouds. **Collaborative notebooks**: Let teams code and review work together using interactive notebooks, supporting languages like Python, Scala, R, and SQL. **Automation**: Databricks automates recurring data tasks, so your data is always up to date. **Scalable compute**: As your business grows, Databricks scales with it, allocating resources automatically and without interruption. **Security**: Identity and access control keep business data protected, so teams can share and analyze securely. > Databricks brings your scattered data under a single roof. What does this mean in practice? Imagine running a business where sales data lives in one system and website analytics in another. Databricks helps you connect all of that and do something useful with it, without endless back-and-forth between departments. ## What is Databricks used for? Companies use Databricks for all kinds of data-driven tasks, big or small. Some examples: **Business intelligence**: combining sales, financial, and operational data for automated reports and dashboards. **Machine learning**: Databricks is a favorite tool for data scientists training models and experimenting with AI, thanks to its support for big data and built-in ML tools. **Pipeline automation**: scheduling and managing how data is pulled from different software tools and lands in your warehouse, ready for analysis. **Real-time analytics**: tracking important metrics as they happen, which is useful for e-commerce or digital products. Startups appreciate Databricks' pay-as-you-go pricing and its ability to scale alongside them, while larger enterprises like the reliability and advanced security. For both, platforms like Erathos ensure that the journey is about insights, not IT headaches. > It is the bridge between your raw data and clear, business-ready insights. ## Comparing Databricks to other data platforms How is Databricks different from a traditional data warehouse or database system? First, Databricks is built for the cloud, which means quick setup, no heavy hardware, and you pay for what you use. Unlike static databases, it handles sudden spikes in users or data without you needing to tune servers or systems. Other enterprise tools, like Snowflake or Amazon Redshift, are excellent for storing data and running fast queries. But Databricks goes further: you get end-to-end tools not just to store, but also to move and work with information, without needing separate software for advanced analytics or data science. With Databricks, you find much stronger collaboration and flexibility. - **Traditional databases**: great for transactions, but often slow or complicated with modern analytical workloads or AI. - **Conventional warehouses**: structured storage shines, but transforming or joining all your scattered data can feel like a maze. - **Databricks**: combines the power of a warehouse with open exploration, sharing, and (perhaps most importantly) efficiency for both analysts and developers. Databricks also supports a wide mix of file types and formats, which means you are not locked into a single vendor or schema. And with Erathos, the process of setting up these connections is even faster and simpler. ## How Databricks integrates with HubSpot Let's look at a real case: integrating Databricks with HubSpot. HubSpot captures marketing and sales data, but this data is often just one piece of the puzzle. Moving it to Databricks allows you to: **Unify**: combine HubSpot customer data with sales, support, and product usage information. **Analyze**: run deeper analysis: who are your best leads? Is marketing synced with sales outcomes? **Activate**: send insights or lists back to HubSpot, so your teams can work with more focus and intelligence. > Better data means better marketing results. Using Erathos, these integrations are set up in a few clicks, without long projects or technical headaches. All your HubSpot data flows automatically to Databricks and other data destinations. We detail this specific connection in [HubSpot to Databricks](https://www.erathos.com/blog/hubspot-para-databricks-centralize-seus-dados). ## Why choose Erathos for Databricks implementations Databricks is powerful, but connecting it to all your data sources or destinations can get complex fast. This is where Erathos shines. Our approach is refreshingly simple: **Specialized EL (Extract, Load)**: instead of long and complicated migrations, we build robust pipelines that move your data to where you need it, always keeping source and destination in sync. **No code required**: from setup to monitoring, non-technical teams set up connections in minutes, with just a few clicks and zero coding. **Automation first**: all your workflows run on a schedule. No daily manual exports, no batch scripts, no missed updates. **Maximum flexibility**: whether your data is in the cloud, on-premises, or both, we handle the connection seamlessly. **Peace of mind**: our tools monitor every pipeline, sending alerts if anything looks wrong, so you never lose sleep over failed syncs. > With Erathos, your data flows without friction. ## Frequently asked questions about Databricks **What is Databricks used for?** Databricks is used to collect, organize, and analyze business data in the cloud. Companies use it for business intelligence reporting, machine learning projects, and automating how information moves between systems. It helps turn scattered data into useful dashboards and advanced insights. **How does Databricks integrate data?** Databricks connects to a wide variety of data sources, from cloud storage and traditional databases to SaaS tools. Using built-in connectors and automated jobs, it pulls data together and loads it into a single workspace where analysis and reporting happen. With solutions like Erathos, these data integrations are automated and require minimal technical effort. **Is Databricks good for beginners?** Yes, Databricks offers intuitive tools like collaborative notebooks and visual workflows that make it accessible for beginners. However, more advanced tasks may require some familiarity with coding or data concepts. Platforms like Erathos can make the adoption process even easier, especially for those without a technical background. **How much does Databricks cost?** Databricks uses a pay-as-you-go pricing structure. You are billed based on the compute and storage resources you use, with no fixed monthly fee. The cost can vary depending on the complexity of your workload, how often you run jobs, and your chosen cloud. For many, starting small and scaling works well. Having the support of a partner like Erathos also makes it easier to manage and predict costs. **What are the main features of Databricks?** Key features include collaborative notebooks, a scalable processing engine, automated data pipeline scheduling, real-time analytics, and flexible cloud integration. Built-in security and monitoring tools make it reliable for businesses of any size. Databricks also stands out for supporting a range of programming languages and connecting to almost any data source. ## Conclusion Databricks has quickly become one of the most popular platforms for handling business data. It gives your team a single, reliable space to bring together scattered data, run rich analysis, and unlock insights without the old barriers. But the journey doesn't end there. With a specialized partner like Erathos, you leverage Databricks even faster, benefiting from full automation, easy setup, and worry-free scaling. [Create your free Erathos account](https://app.erathos.com/signup?slug=blog&button=cta&utm_campaign=o_que_e_databricks) and see how simple Databricks can be.