---
type: concept
x-llmwiki:
  schemaVersion: "0.1"
  contentHash: 5ac1e3d071d1ae86c6a59686571c0cbed1c31720650e7a5f5345ce660abd2341
  pageDirectory: concepts
  sources:
    - delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md
  confidence: 0.9
  provenanceState: extracted
  freshnessStatus: unverified
  aliases:
    - partition-hint-and-predicate-rewrite-conflicts
    - Predicate Rewrite Conflicts and Partition Hint
    - PHAPRC
  citations:
    - file: delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md
title: Partition Hint and Predicate Rewrite Conflicts
description: Conflict sub-errors related to partition hints and filter predicates that could not be applied for row-level conflict detection in Delta Lake.
tags:
  - delta-lake
  - partitioning
  - predicates
timestamp: "2026-06-19T18:23:12.912Z"
---

# Partition Hint and Predicate Rewrite Conflicts

**Partition Hint and Predicate Rewrite Conflicts** are two related sub‑errors of the DELTA_CONCURRENT_APPEND Error Condition|DELTA_CONCURRENT_APPEND error condition that occur when [Delta Lake](/concepts/delta-lake.md) cannot apply row‑level conflict detection during a concurrent write operation. These conditions arise when the transaction’s partition hints or filter predicates are incompatible with the concurrent modification, forcing a retry.

## Overview

Delta Lake uses row‑level conflict detection to resolve concurrent writes without aborting the entire transaction. However, certain scenarios—such as the presence of a partition hint that conflicts with a concurrent partition modification, or filter predicates that cannot be rewritten for conflict detection—cause the system to raise a specific error sub‑type. In both cases, the recommended action is to **retry the operation**. ^[delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md]

## WITH_PARTITION_HINT

The `WITH_PARTITION_HINT` sub‑error is raised when a concurrent operation has modified data in a partition that the current transaction attempted to read or write, and the transaction had specified a partition hint. The error message specifies which partition values were affected:

> The concurrent operation modified data in the partition `<partitionValues>` that should have been read by this operation. Please retry the operation.

Partition hints are used to direct reads or writes to a specific subset of partitions. If another transaction concurrently alters that partition, the hint becomes stale, and row‑level conflict detection cannot proceed. ^[delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md]

## PREDICATES_NEED_REWRITE

The `PREDICATES_NEED_REWRITE` sub‑error indicates that the filter predicates used by the transaction could not be applied for row‑level conflict detection. The error message states:

> The filter predicates used by this transaction could not be applied for row‑level conflict detection. Please retry the operation.

This typically happens when the predicate’s structure is too complex or cannot be rewritten into a form that Delta Lake’s conflict detection engine can evaluate efficiently. A simple retry often resolves the issue because subsequent attempts may encounter a different execution plan. ^[delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Related Sub‑Error: PARTITIONED_TABLE_WITHOUT_MERGE_SOURCE

Although not a direct part of the “partition hint” or “predicate rewrite” categories, the `PARTITIONED_TABLE_WITHOUT_MERGE_SOURCE` sub‑error is closely related. It occurs when row‑level conflict detection cannot be performed on a partitioned table because the merge source is missing or incomplete. The error advises to retry the operation. This highlights a general limitation: partitioned tables may require additional metadata to support fine‑grained conflict detection. ^[delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Suggested Resolution

For both `WITH_PARTITION_HINT` and `PREDICATES_NEED_REWRITE`, the primary remedy is to **retry the transaction**. Delta Lake’s optimistic concurrency control may succeed on a subsequent attempt if the conflicting operation has completed. If the error persists, consider:

- Removing or simplifying partition hints to allow broader conflict detection.
- Simplifying filter predicates or rewriting them as simpler expressions.
- Ensuring that merge operations on partitioned tables include a proper source specification.

^[delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md]

## Related Concepts

- [Delta Lake Concurrency Control](/concepts/delta-lake-optimistic-concurrency-control.md)
- [Row-Level Conflict Detection](/concepts/delta-lake-row-level-conflict-detection.md)
- DELTA_CONCURRENT_APPEND Error Condition|DELTA_CONCURRENT_APPEND error condition
- Partitioning in Delta Lake
- [Change Data Feed](/concepts/delta-change-data-feed-cdf.md)
- [Merge into Delta Table](/concepts/merge-into-delta-lake.md)

## Sources

- delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md

# Citations

1. [delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws.md](/references/delta_concurrent_append-error-condition-databricks-on-aws-47a87778.md)
