1# Tables — Java SDK Quick Reference
2 
3> Condensed from **azure-data-tables-java**. Full patterns (typed entities,
4> batch transactions, OData filters, Cosmos DB Table API)
5> in the **azure-data-tables-java** plugin skill if installed.
6 
7## Install
8```xml
9<dependency>
10    <groupId>com.azure</groupId>
11    <artifactId>azure-data-tables</artifactId>
12    <version>12.6.0-beta.1</version>
13</dependency>
14<dependency>
15    <groupId>com.azure</groupId>
16    <artifactId>azure-identity</artifactId>
17</dependency>
18```
19 
20## Quick Start
21 
22> **Auth:** `DefaultAzureCredential` is for local development. See [auth-best-practices.md](../auth-best-practices.md) for production patterns.
23 
24```java
25import com.azure.data.tables.TableServiceClientBuilder;
26import com.azure.identity.DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder;
27var serviceClient = new TableServiceClientBuilder()
28    .endpoint("<table-account-url>")
29    .credential(new DefaultAzureCredentialBuilder().build())
30    .buildClient();
31```
32 
33## Best Practices
34- Partition Key Design: choose keys that distribute load evenly
35- Batch Operations: use transactions for atomic multi-entity updates
36- Query Optimization: always filter by PartitionKey when possible
37- Select Projection: only select needed properties for performance
38- Entity Size: keep entities under 1MB (Storage) or 2MB (Cosmos)
39