---
title: "Import data from Parquet files"
description: "Load columnar data from Parquet files into Pixeltable tables for processing and analysis."
url: "https://www.pixeltable.com/notebooks/data-import-parquet"
updated: "2026-04-10"
---

# Import data from Parquet files

Load columnar data from Parquet files into Pixeltable tables for processing and analysis.

- **Type:** Notebook
- **Group:** Data Import/Export

## How it works

You use pxt.create_table() with a source parameter to create a table from a Parquet file. Pixeltable infers column types from the Parquet schema automatically.

## What it covers

- Import Parquet files directly into tables
- Export tables to Parquet for external tools
- Handle schema type overrides

## What it uses

- **Install:** `pip install pixeltable pyarrow pandas`
- **Pixeltable calls:** `pxt.create_table()`, `add_computed_column()`

## A look at the code

```python
# Import Parquet file into a new table
products = pxt.create_table(
    'parquet_demo/products', source=str(parquet_path)
)
```

## Open it

- **Open in Colab:** https://colab.research.google.com/github/pixeltable/pixeltable/blob/release/docs/release/howto/cookbooks/data/data-import-parquet.ipynb
- **Docs page:** https://docs.pixeltable.com/howto/cookbooks/data/data-import-parquet
- **Source on GitHub:** https://github.com/pixeltable/pixeltable/blob/release/docs/release/howto/cookbooks/data/data-import-parquet.ipynb