# Build data pipelines with Iceberg tables

You can use Foundry Iceberg tables as inputs and outputs in [Python transforms](../../transforms-python/overview/index.md) and [Pipeline Builder](../../pipeline-builder/overview/index.md). This page provides a high-level overview of the available workflows.

## Choose a pipeline authoring experience

The following table summarizes the main options for building pipelines with Foundry-managed Iceberg tables:

| Authoring experience | Compute engine | Non-incremental | Append-only incremental | Changelog incremental | Client-side encryption |
|---|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| Python transforms | **Spark:** Foundry APIs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Python transforms | **Spark:** Iceberg Spark APIs | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Python transforms | **Single-node:** Foundry APIs | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | 🟡 |
| Python transforms | **Single-node:** PyIceberg APIs | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Pipeline Builder | **Standard Spark** pipelines | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Pipeline Builder | **Faster** pipelines | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |

All Foundry-managed Iceberg tables must use server-side encryption. The final column refers to the [client-side encryption](../storage/index.md#encryption-settings) option and whether the given pipeline type currently supports reading and writing tables with this additional layer of [Iceberg table encryption ↗](https://iceberg.apache.org/docs/latest/encryption/).

Foundry's APIs for single-node Python transforms support reading and writing client-side encrypted Iceberg tables, but filter pushdown is not currently supported in this scenario.

## Build pipelines with Python transforms

Python transforms offer the ability to create Spark or single-node pipelines using a variety of open-source libraries and compute engines.

For details on working with Iceberg in Python transforms, see:

* [Transforms with Iceberg](../python-transform-basics/index.md)
* [Code examples](../code-examples/index.md)
* [Advanced Iceberg APIs](../advanced-apis/index.md)
* [Incremental transforms](../incremental-transforms/index.md)
* [Incremental code examples](../incremental-code-examples/index.md)

## Build pipelines with Pipeline Builder

[Pipeline Builder](../../pipeline-builder/overview/index.md) provides a no-code graphical interface for constructing data pipelines.

You can use Iceberg tables as inputs and outputs in Pipeline Builder:

1. Open Pipeline Builder and create a standard or faster batch pipeline.
2. Select **Add Foundry data**, then select an existing Iceberg table.
3. Add and connect the transforms required for your workflow.
4. In the pipeline outputs panel, select **Add pipeline output**.
5. Select **Foundry Iceberg table**, then configure the output name and location.
6. Preview the result, then deploy the pipeline.

To process an input incrementally, use a standard Spark pipeline and set the Iceberg input's computation mode to **Incremental**.

:::callout{theme="neutral"}
The option to create an Iceberg table as a pipeline output will only appear for pipelines in projects that have Iceberg storage configured. See [Configuring Iceberg settings in Control Panel](../iceberg-settings/index.md) for details.
:::