Description: A broadcast variable in Apache Spark is a read-only variable that is cached on each node instead of being sent with every task. This approach optimizes performance by avoiding the overhead of sending large amounts of data across the network each time a task is executed. Broadcast variables are particularly useful when working with large datasets and needing to access constant information across multiple tasks. By caching the variable on each node in the cluster, access time is reduced, and overall processing efficiency is improved. Additionally, broadcast variables allow developers to share data between tasks more effectively, resulting in a more efficient use of cluster resources. In summary, broadcast variables are a key tool in distributed computing frameworks for optimizing data handling and improving the performance of distributed applications.
