<h1>Announcing DuckDB 1.2.0</h1>
<p>DuckDB version 1.2.0, codenamed ‘Histrionicus’, is now available. This new release brings a multitude of significant updates, including breaking changes, new features, and a variety of performance improvements.</p>
<h2>Key Updates</h2>
<h3>Breaking Changes</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong><code>random</code> Function and Map Operations</strong>: Notable changes have been made to the <code>random</code> function and map operations that could affect existing workflows.</li>
<li><strong>Explicit Storage Versions</strong>: A new approach has been introduced for handling storage versions, ensuring more explicit control over data formats.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Feature Enhancements</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>CSV and Parquet Support</strong>: Enhanced capabilities for handling CSV and Parquet files provide greater flexibility and efficiency in data processing.</li>
<li><strong>SQL Expressions and Indexing</strong>: Significant improvements have been made to SQL expressions and indexing, resulting in better query performance and optimization.</li>
<li><strong>Command-Line Interface (CLI)</strong>: Updated CLI features to streamline user experience and increase functionality.</li>
<li><strong>New C API for Extensions</strong>: A stable and backwards-compatible API has been introduced, facilitating easier integration with multiple programming languages and promoting the development of extensions.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Performance Optimizations</h2>
<p>This release boasts several performance optimizations, leading to an approximate 13% runtime improvement for specific queries. Users can expect faster and more efficient data processing as a result of these enhancements.</p>
<h2>Community Contributions</h2>
<p>DuckDB 1.2.0 is a product of extensive collaboration, featuring over 5,000 commits from more than 70 contributors. The collective effort of the community has played a crucial role in driving the continuous improvement and innovation seen in this release.</p>
<p>In conclusion, DuckDB 1.2.0 ‘Histrionicus’ offers a robust set of new features and enhancements, from breaking changes to performance optimizations, making it a valuable update for users. The introduction of new APIs and improved file handling further solidifies DuckDB’s versatility and utility in data management tasks.</p>


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DuckDB version 1.2.0, codenamed 'Histrionicus', introduces breaking changes, new features, and performance enhancements. Key updates include improvements to the `random` function, explicit storage versions, enhanced CSV and Parquet support, better SQL expressions and indexing, an updated command-line interface, and a new stable C API for extensions. Performance optimizations result in a 13% runtime improvement for specific queries. This release, built on extensive community contributions, enhances DuckDB's flexibility and efficiency in data management.