# Migrating existing tables to Iceberg
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This section focuses on migrating your existing Hive-style tables to Iceberg format. It applies to tables that use traditional Hive-compatible formats such as [Apache Parquet](https://parquet.apache.org/) or [Apache ORC](https://orc.apache.org/). This information doesn't apply to tables that already use modern table formats such as Linux Foundation Delta Lake or Apache Hudi.

To migrate your current Hive-style tables to Iceberg format, you can use either in-place or full data migration: 
+ [In-place migration](table-migration-inplace.md) is the process of generating Iceberg's metadata files on top of existing data files.
+ [Full data migration](table-migration-full.md) creates the Iceberg metadata layer and also rewrites existing data files from the original table to the new Iceberg table.

The following sections provide a detailed overview of each migration method, including step-by-step instructions and considerations for implementation. For more information about these migration strategies, see the [Table Migration](https://iceberg.apache.org/docs/latest/table-migration/) section of the Iceberg documentation.

After you review the details of the in-place and full data migration methods, see the following two key sections to aid your decision-making process:
+ [Choosing a migration strategy](migration-strategy.md) provides guidance through a series of questions and scenarios, to help you determine the most suitable migration approach based on your specific requirements and use cases.
+ [Migration options summary](migration-options.md) provides a comprehensive table that compares key characteristics and considerations across different migration options. This table serves as a quick reference guide and offers a feature comparison to help you understand the technical trade-offs between methods.