 
# What is ORC Format?

The **`ORC`** stands for Optimized Row Columnar. ORC is a highly efficient row columnar data format used to read, write, and process data in Hive. ORC files are made of data stripes, each of which comprises an index, row data, and a footer.

The **`read_orc` method** is used to load an orc file to a DataFrame. 

> **Note:** Refer to [What is pandas in Python](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-pandas-in-python) to learn more about pandas.

 
## Syntax


```python
pandas.read_orc(path, columns=None, **kwargs)
```

## Parameter

- `path`: This is the location/path of the orc file. A directory with many files can be referenced by the file path. The file path can also be a legitimate file URL. The acceptable URL schemes are `http`, `ftp`, `s3`, `gs`, and `file`.
- `columns`: These are the columns to be read into the DataFrame. 

## Code example
Let's look at the code below:

import pandas as pd
import pyarrow.orc
# Creating an orc file
df = pd.DataFrame(data={"Name": ["John", "Kelly"], "Age": [3, 4]})
df.to_orc("./df.orc")

# Reading an orc file
df = pd.read_orc("df.orc")
print(df)

# Selecting a column from an orc file
cols = ["Name"]
df1 = pd.read_orc("df.orc", columns=cols)
print(df1)

python39


## Code explanation

- **Lines 1-2** : `pandas` and `pyarrow` packages are imported.
- **Lines 4-5** : A DataFrame is created and written to a file named `df.oc`
- **Line 8:**  The `df.orc` file is read into a pandas data frame called `df` using the `read_orc` method.
- **Line 9:** The  `df` is printed.
- **Line 12:**  We define the columns, `cols`, to be read into the data frame.
- **Line 13:** The `df.orc` file is read into a pandas DataFrame called `df1` using the `read_orc` method and passing `cols` as the columns to be read, rejecting other columns.
- **Line 14:** The  `df1` is printed.

panda.tar.gz

How to load an orc file in pandas

ORC format is an efficient row columnar data format read into pandas DataFrame using the read_orc method defining path and optional columns.