---
name: watsonxdata-spark-history-ui
title: Accessing the Spark history server
description: ''
last-updated: 2026-01-07
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watsonxdata?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

{:step: data-tutorial-type="step"}
{:shortdesc: .shortdesc}


# Accessing the Spark history server
{: #wxd_spk_histry}

**Applies to** : [Spark engine]{: tag-blue}  [Apache Gluten accelerated Spark engine]{: tag-green}

The Spark history server is a web UI where you can view the status of running and completed Spark applications on a watsonx.datainstance. If you want to analyze how different stages of your Spark application performed, you can view the details in the Spark history server UI.


1. Log in to watsonx.data console.
2. From the navigation menu, select **Infrastructure manager**.
1. Click the name of the Spark engine (from list view or topology view). Engine information window opens.
2. In the **Spark history** tab, click **Start history server**.

   You need to provide the following information when using version 2.3 or later of watsonx.data.

   * Select the **Capacity type** to view the history details. You can select **Dedicated** (if configured) or **On-demand**. Choose the capacity from the list and specify the CPU cores and memory details.


3. By default, the Spark history server consumes 1 CPU core and 4 GiB of memory while it is running. If you want your Spark history server to use more resources, select the **Cores** and **Memory** required for the server and click **Start**. The history server starts and the status is displayed as `STARTED`.
3. Click **View Spark history**. The **History Server** page opens.
4. The **History Server** page includes the following functionalities:

    * View the list of completed Spark application and details such as the application ID, duration and event log for each application.
    * Click **Download** link from the **Event Log** field to download the events log information for each application.
    * To view the details of individual application, click the individual application ID link. The **Spark Jobs** page opens. This page displays details such as the different stages of execution, the storage used, the Spark environment and executor (memory and driver) details.



    The History Server displays detailed storage events only if the Spark application was submitted with the configuration parameter `spark.eventLog.logBlockUpdates.enabled` set to true.
    {: note}


    Log links under the Stages and Executors tabs of the Spark history server UI will not work as logs are not preserved with the Spark events. To review the task and executor logs, enable platform logging. For details, see [Viewing logs](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watsonxdata?topic=watsonxdata-log_nsp&format=markdown).
    {: note}

5. You can stop the history server when you no longer need it to release unnecessary resources. To do that, go to **Spark history** tab and click **Stop history server**. Click **Stop** on the confirmation message.

## Related API
{: #sparkhistoryui_api}

For information on related API, see
* [Get spark engine catalog](https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/watsonxdata#get-spark-engine-catalog)
* [Get spark history server](https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/watsonxdata#get-spark-engine-history-server)
* [Start spark history server](https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/watsonxdata#start-spark-engine-history-server)
* [Stop spark history server](https://cloud.ibm.com/apidocs/watsonxdata#delete-spark-engine-history-server)