What type of service is Amazon Athena?

Amazon Athena is classified as an interactive query service. It allows users to analyze data directly in Amazon S3 using standard SQL queries without the need for complex data loading processes or setup. The service is serverless, meaning that users do not have to provision or manage any infrastructure. Instead, they can simply query data as needed, paying only for the queries they run.

This interactive nature makes Athena particularly useful for data analysis, reporting, and ad-hoc querying. Its integration with other AWS services also enables users to quickly integrate data from various sources, including AWS Glue for data cataloging. Users can interactively explore data sets, gain insights, and visualize data without needing advanced technical skills or dedicated data engineering resources.