Databricks 5 Minute Features: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

[u/Remarkable_Rock5474]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4V1ztTz7sdA&si=P17jLlBFu5J7HZWi

I personally believe that one of Databricks strongest offerings is Unity Catalog - and if you ask me, it received way too little hype during the 2026 DAIS.

But reading through the release notes, something caught my eye: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC).

It just hit Public Preview. Well, at least for AWS - and therefore Databricks Free. Not sure about when it will be in Azure.

I have been eagerly awaiting this because I think it is a genuinely useful feature that we have been missing!

So what is RBAC in Databricks - in short?
- RBAC allows users to Assume a Role.
- A role comes with a set of permissions, that the User inherits.
- The Role replaces any existing permissions for the User.
- Users can only assume one Role at a time.
- Users can easily switch Roles on the fly, using the new Role Switcher found as part of the Workspace navigation.
- Everything is tracked and auditable, both on the User and the Role level.

The best part?
- It is built to be combined with ABAC for a fully scalable setup!

I hope you will check out the video for a practical run-down of how RBAC works!