Busting SQL Migration Myths: How New SQL Features Make Lift-and-Shift to Lakehouse Easier
Databricks, Thursday, August 20th, 2026
Databricks says cursors, temp tables and multi-statement transactions now migrate to the lakehouse translated, not rewritten.
Databricks argues that the procedural code data warehouses run on now migrates to the lakehouse line for line rather than requiring a rewrite.
The post names the specific constructs teams assume will block migration: cursors inside nightly procedures, undocumented temp tables, and transactions that bundle several updates and roll back if any fails.
All of these are now supported, so procedures are translated rather than reimplemented. PL/SQL maps onto Databricks SQL Scripting. The argument targets the perception that lift-and-shift to a lakehouse is impossible for warehouse-heavy estates.