# File format of the Scylla.db sstable component

The `Scylla.db` component (present in a file named like `mc-223-big-Scylla.db`
contains assorted Scylla-only metadata. Its presence indicates the sstable was
created by Scylla (or some Scylla-aware creator). Non-Scylla consumers will ignore it.

The file is small and intended to be processed in-memory.

## Main structure

The main structure is that of an unordered set of subcomponents. Each component
is prefixed with a be32 tag that indicates its type, and its serialized size
(so unknown subcomponents can be skipped).

    scylla_db = subcomponent_count (tag serialized_size subcomponent)*
    subcomponent_count = be32
    serialized_size = be32
    tag = be32

## Subcomponents and tag values

The following subcomponents are recognized. They are described in more detail
in individual sections

    subcomponent = sharding_metadata
        | features
        | extension_attributes
        | run_identifier
        | large_data_stats
        | sstable_origin
        | scylla_build_id
        | scylla_version
        | ext_timestamp_stats

`sharding_metadata` (tag 1): describes what token sub-ranges are included in this
sstable. This is used, when loading the sstable, to determine which shard(s)
it occupies.

`features` (tag 2): a set of boolean flags that describe the sstable

`extension_attributes` (tag 3): a `map<string, string>` with additional attributes

`run_identifier` (tag 4): a uuid that is the same for all sstables in the same run
(and different for sstables in different runs).

`large_data_stats` (tag 5): a `map<large_data_type, large_data_stats_entry>` with statistics
about large data entities in the sstable.

`sstable_origin` (tag 6): a string describing the origin of the
sstable ("memtable" for memtable flush, "garbage collection" for
compaction, etc.).

`scylla_build_id` (tag 7): a string containing the build id of the
Scylla executable that created the sstable.

`scylla_version` (tag 8): a string containing the version of the
Scylla executable that created the sstable.

`ext_timestamp_stats` (tag 9): a `map<ext_timestamp_stats_type, int64_t>` with statistics
about timestamps in the sstable, like: `min_live_timestamp`, and `min_live_row_marker_timestamp`.

`sstable_identifier` (tag 10): a uuid identifying the sstable for its whole lifetime.
It is derived from the sstable uuid generation, upon creation (or uniquely generated
if the sstable has numerical generation).  Yet, unlike the sstable that may
change if the sstable is migrated to a different shard or node, the sstable
identifier is stable and copied with the rest of the scylla metadata.

The [scylla sstable dump-scylla-metadata](https://github.com/scylladb/scylladb/blob/master/docs/operating-scylla/admin-tools/scylla-sstable.rst#dump-scylla-metadata) tool
can be used to dump the scylla metadata in JSON format.

## sharding_metadata subcomponent

    sharding_metadata = token_range_count token_range*
    token_range_count = be32
    token_range = left_token_bound right_token_bound
    left_token_bound = token_bound
    right_token_bound = token_bound
    token_bound = exclusive_flag token
    exclusive_flag = byte          // 0=inclusive, 1=exclusive
    token = token_size byte*
    token_size = be16

Sharding metadata is a sorted list of disjoint token ranges. Each token range
consists of a left bound and a right bound; either bound may be inclusive or
exclusive. The tokens are interpreted according to the partitioner.

The sstable contains no partitions whose token is outside the ranges described by
sharding_metadata.

## features subcomponent

    features = be64      // interpreted as a set of bits

bit 0: NonCompoundPIEntries (if set, indicates the sstable was generated by
Scylla with issue #2993 fixed)

bit 1: NonCompoundRangeTombstones (if set, indicates the sstable was generated by
Scylla with issue #2986 fixed)

bit 2: ShadowableTombstones (if set, indicates the sstable was generated by
Scylla with issue #3885 fixed)

bit 3: CorrectStaticCompact (if set, indicates the sstable was generated by
Scylla with issue #4139 fixed)

bit 4: CorrectEmptyCounters (if set, indicates the sstable was generated by
Scylla with issue #4363 fixed)

bit 5: CorrectUDTsInCollections (if set, indicates that the sstable was generated
by Scylla with issue #6130 fixed)

bit 6: CorrectLastPiBlockWidth (if set, indicates that the width of the last promoted index block never includes
the partition end marker)

## extension_attributes subcomponent

    extension_attributes = extension_attribute_count extension_attribute*
    extension_attribute_count = be32
    extension_attribute = extension_attribute_key extension_attribute_value
    extension_attribute_key = string32
    extension_attribute_value = string32
    string32 = string32_size byte*
    string32_size = be32

There are currently no defined attributes.

## run_identifier subcomponent

    run_identifier = uuid
    uuid = uuid_high_bits uuid_low_bits
    uuid_high_bits = be64
    uuid_low_bits = be64

If the run_identifier subcomponent is present, the sstable is part of a run.
All sstables with the same run_identifier belong to the same run. They are
guaranteed to be disjoint (non-overlapping) in their partition keys.

## large_data_stats subcomponent

    large_data_stats = large_data_count large_data_pair*
    large_data_count = be32
    large_data_pair = large_data_type large_data_stats_entry
    large_data_type = partition_size | row_size | cell_size | rows_in_partition | elements_in_collection
        partition_size = be32(1)    // partition size, in bytes
        row_size = be32(2)          // row size, in bytes
        cell_size = be32(3)         // cell size, in bytes
        rows_in_partition = be32(4) // number of rows in a partition
        elements_in_collection = be32(5) // number of elements in a collection
    large_data_stats_entry = max_value threshold above_threshold
        max_value = be64
        threshold = be64
        above_threshold = be32

The large_data_stats component holds statistics about partition,
row, and cell sizes and about number of rows in partition.
For each entry, it keeps the largest value for the entry type,
the respective large_data threshold and the number of entities
that are above the threshold.
