diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 99154fb64..d77f70bc7 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ jobs:
           --conf spark.hadoop.javax.jdo.option.ConnectionUserName=dbt
           --conf spark.hadoop.javax.jdo.option.ConnectionPassword=dbt
           --conf spark.hadoop.javax.jdo.option.ConnectionDriverName=org.postgresql.Driver
+          --conf spark.serializer=org.apache.spark.serializer.KryoSerializer
+          --conf spark.jars.packages=org.apache.hudi:hudi-spark-bundle_2.11:0.9.0
+          --conf spark.sql.extensions=org.apache.spark.sql.hudi.HoodieSparkSessionExtension
+          --conf spark.driver.userClassPathFirst=true
+          --conf spark.hadoop.datanucleus.autoCreateTables=true
+          --conf spark.hadoop.datanucleus.schema.autoCreateTables=true
+          --conf spark.hadoop.datanucleus.fixedDatastore=false
+          --conf spark.sql.hive.convertMetastoreParquet=false
+          --conf hive.metastore.schema.verification=false
 
       - image: postgres:9.6.17-alpine
         environment:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7405e9e0e..335994cfe 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@
 
 ### Under the hood
 - Add `unique_field` to better understand adapter adoption in anonymous usage tracking ([#211](https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-spark/pull/211))
+- Add support for Apache Hudi (hudi file format) which supports incremental merge strategies: Issue ([#187](https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-spark/issues/187)) 
 
 ### Contributors
 - [@harryharanb](https://github.com/harryharanb) ([#207](https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-spark/pull/207))
 - [@SCouto](https://github.com/Scouto) ([#204](https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-spark/pull/204))
+- [@vingov](https://github.com/vingov) ([#210](https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-spark/pull/210))
 
 ## dbt-spark 0.21.0b2 (August 20, 2021)
 
diff --git a/dbt/adapters/spark/impl.py b/dbt/adapters/spark/impl.py
index 6acbcd446..1025d9254 100644
--- a/dbt/adapters/spark/impl.py
+++ b/dbt/adapters/spark/impl.py
@@ -68,6 +68,13 @@ class SparkAdapter(SQLAdapter):
     INFORMATION_OWNER_REGEX = re.compile(r"^Owner: (.*)$", re.MULTILINE)
     INFORMATION_STATISTICS_REGEX = re.compile(
         r"^Statistics: (.*)$", re.MULTILINE)
+    HUDI_METADATA_COLUMNS = [
+        '_hoodie_commit_time',
+        '_hoodie_commit_seqno',
+        '_hoodie_record_key',
+        '_hoodie_partition_path',
+        '_hoodie_file_name'
+    ]
 
     Relation = SparkRelation
     Column = SparkColumn
@@ -143,12 +150,14 @@ def list_relations_without_caching(
             rel_type = RelationType.View \
                 if 'Type: VIEW' in information else RelationType.Table
             is_delta = 'Provider: delta' in information
+            is_hudi = 'Provider: hudi' in information
             relation = self.Relation.create(
                 schema=_schema,
                 identifier=name,
                 type=rel_type,
                 information=information,
                 is_delta=is_delta,
+                is_hudi=is_hudi,
             )
             relations.append(relation)
 
@@ -222,6 +231,10 @@ def get_columns_in_relation(self, relation: Relation) -> List[SparkColumn]:
             # which would execute 'describe extended tablename' query
             rows: List[agate.Row] = super().get_columns_in_relation(relation)
             columns = self.parse_describe_extended(relation, rows)
+
+        # strip hudi metadata columns.
+        columns = [x for x in columns
+                   if x.name not in self.HUDI_METADATA_COLUMNS]
         return columns
 
     def parse_columns_from_information(
diff --git a/dbt/adapters/spark/relation.py b/dbt/adapters/spark/relation.py
index 5fc096550..043cabfa0 100644
--- a/dbt/adapters/spark/relation.py
+++ b/dbt/adapters/spark/relation.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class SparkRelation(BaseRelation):
     include_policy: SparkIncludePolicy = SparkIncludePolicy()
     quote_character: str = '`'
     is_delta: Optional[bool] = None
+    is_hudi: Optional[bool] = None
     information: str = None
 
     def __post_init__(self):
diff --git a/dbt/include/spark/macros/adapters.sql b/dbt/include/spark/macros/adapters.sql
index fcdc46c6d..fe13c5159 100644
--- a/dbt/include/spark/macros/adapters.sql
+++ b/dbt/include/spark/macros/adapters.sql
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@
 
 {% macro options_clause() -%}
   {%- set options = config.get('options') -%}
+  {%- if config.get('file_format') == 'hudi' -%}
+    {%- set unique_key = config.get('unique_key') -%}
+    {%- if unique_key is not none and options is none -%}
+      {%- set options = {'primaryKey': config.get('unique_key')} -%}
+    {%- elif unique_key is not none and options is not none and 'primaryKey' not in options -%}
+      {%- set _ = options.update({'primaryKey': config.get('unique_key')}) -%}
+    {%- elif options is not none and 'primaryKey' in options and options['primaryKey'] != unique_key -%}
+      {{ exceptions.raise_compiler_error("unique_key and options('primaryKey') should be the same column(s).") }}
+    {%- endif %}
+  {%- endif %}
+
   {%- if options is not none %}
     options (
       {%- for option in options -%}
@@ -181,7 +192,7 @@
 {% endmacro %}
 
 {% macro spark__alter_column_comment(relation, column_dict) %}
-  {% if config.get('file_format', validator=validation.any[basestring]) == 'delta' %}
+  {% if config.get('file_format', validator=validation.any[basestring]) in ['delta', 'hudi'] %}
     {% for column_name in column_dict %}
       {% set comment = column_dict[column_name]['description'] %}
       {% set escaped_comment = comment | replace('\'', '\\\'') %}
diff --git a/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/incremental/validate.sql b/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/incremental/validate.sql
index 400a2eee5..3e9de359b 100644
--- a/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/incremental/validate.sql
+++ b/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/incremental/validate.sql
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% macro dbt_spark_validate_get_file_format(raw_file_format) %}
   {#-- Validate the file format #}
 
-  {% set accepted_formats = ['text', 'csv', 'json', 'jdbc', 'parquet', 'orc', 'hive', 'delta', 'libsvm'] %}
+  {% set accepted_formats = ['text', 'csv', 'json', 'jdbc', 'parquet', 'orc', 'hive', 'delta', 'libsvm', 'hudi'] %}
 
   {% set invalid_file_format_msg -%}
     Invalid file format provided: {{ raw_file_format }}
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
   {% set invalid_merge_msg -%}
     Invalid incremental strategy provided: {{ raw_strategy }}
-    You can only choose this strategy when file_format is set to 'delta'
+    You can only choose this strategy when file_format is set to 'delta' or 'hudi'
   {%- endset %}
   
   {% set invalid_insert_overwrite_delta_msg -%}
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
   {% if raw_strategy not in ['append', 'merge', 'insert_overwrite'] %}
     {% do exceptions.raise_compiler_error(invalid_strategy_msg) %}
   {%-else %}
-    {% if raw_strategy == 'merge' and file_format != 'delta' %}
+    {% if raw_strategy == 'merge' and file_format not in ['delta', 'hudi'] %}
       {% do exceptions.raise_compiler_error(invalid_merge_msg) %}
     {% endif %}
     {% if raw_strategy == 'insert_overwrite' and file_format == 'delta' %}
diff --git a/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/snapshot.sql b/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/snapshot.sql
index 6dad51a02..c398b045e 100644
--- a/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/snapshot.sql
+++ b/dbt/include/spark/macros/materializations/snapshot.sql
@@ -82,18 +82,18 @@
           identifier=target_table,
           type='table') -%}
 
-  {%- if file_format != 'delta' -%}
+  {%- if file_format not in ['delta', 'hudi'] -%}
     {% set invalid_format_msg -%}
       Invalid file format: {{ file_format }}
-      Snapshot functionality requires file_format be set to 'delta'
+      Snapshot functionality requires file_format be set to 'delta' or 'hudi'
     {%- endset %}
     {% do exceptions.raise_compiler_error(invalid_format_msg) %}
   {% endif %}
 
   {%- if target_relation_exists -%}
-    {%- if not target_relation.is_delta -%}
+    {%- if not target_relation.is_delta or not target_relation.is_hudi -%}
       {% set invalid_format_msg -%}
-        The existing table {{ model.schema }}.{{ target_table }} is in another format than 'delta'
+        The existing table {{ model.schema }}.{{ target_table }} is in another format than 'delta' or 'hudi'
       {%- endset %}
       {% do exceptions.raise_compiler_error(invalid_format_msg) %}
     {% endif %}
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 869e4ecd2..8054dfd75 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - ./.spark-warehouse/:/spark-warehouse/
       - ./docker/hive-site.xml:/usr/spark/conf/hive-site.xml
+      - ./docker/spark-defaults.conf:/usr/spark/conf/spark-defaults.conf
     environment:
       - WAIT_FOR=dbt-hive-metastore:5432
 
diff --git a/docker/hive-site.xml b/docker/hive-site.xml
index a92e87b76..457d04f31 100644
--- a/docker/hive-site.xml
+++ b/docker/hive-site.xml
@@ -39,4 +39,8 @@
         <value>dbt</value>
     </property>
 
+    <property>
+        <name>hive.metastore.schema.verification</name>
+        <value>false</value>
+    </property>
 </configuration>
diff --git a/docker/spark-defaults.conf b/docker/spark-defaults.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..48a0501c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/spark-defaults.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+spark.hadoop.datanucleus.autoCreateTables	true
+spark.hadoop.datanucleus.schema.autoCreateTables	true
+spark.hadoop.datanucleus.fixedDatastore 	false
+spark.serializer	org.apache.spark.serializer.KryoSerializer
+spark.jars.packages	org.apache.hudi:hudi-spark3-bundle_2.12:0.9.0
+spark.sql.extensions	org.apache.spark.sql.hudi.HoodieSparkSessionExtension
+spark.driver.userClassPathFirst true
diff --git a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/append.sql b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/append.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9be27bec3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/append.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{{ config(
+    materialized = 'incremental',
+    incremental_strategy = 'append',
+    file_format = 'hudi',
+) }}
+
+{% if not is_incremental() %}
+
+select cast(1 as bigint) as id, 'hello' as msg
+union all
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'goodbye' as msg
+
+{% else %}
+
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'yo' as msg
+union all
+select cast(3 as bigint) as id, 'anyway' as msg
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/insert_overwrite_no_partitions.sql b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/insert_overwrite_no_partitions.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..081374089
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/insert_overwrite_no_partitions.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{{ config(
+    materialized = 'incremental',
+    incremental_strategy = 'insert_overwrite',
+    file_format = 'hudi',
+) }}
+
+{% if not is_incremental() %}
+
+select cast(1 as bigint) as id, 'hello' as msg
+union all
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'goodbye' as msg
+
+{% else %}
+
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'yo' as msg
+union all
+select cast(3 as bigint) as id, 'anyway' as msg
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/insert_overwrite_partitions.sql b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/insert_overwrite_partitions.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f74cfdb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/insert_overwrite_partitions.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{{ config(
+    materialized = 'incremental',
+    incremental_strategy = 'insert_overwrite',
+    partition_by = 'id',
+    file_format = 'hudi',
+) }}
+
+{% if not is_incremental() %}
+
+select cast(1 as bigint) as id, 'hello' as msg
+union all
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'goodbye' as msg
+
+{% else %}
+
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'yo' as msg
+union all
+select cast(3 as bigint) as id, 'anyway' as msg
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/merge_no_key.sql b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/merge_no_key.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8def11ddf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/merge_no_key.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+{{ config(
+    materialized = 'incremental',
+    incremental_strategy = 'merge',
+    file_format = 'hudi',
+) }}
+
+{% if not is_incremental() %}
+
+select cast(1 as bigint) as id, 'hello' as msg
+union all
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'goodbye' as msg
+
+{% else %}
+
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'yo' as msg
+union all
+select cast(3 as bigint) as id, 'anyway' as msg
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/merge_unique_key.sql b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/merge_unique_key.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee72860d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/models_hudi/merge_unique_key.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{{ config(
+    materialized = 'incremental',
+    incremental_strategy = 'merge',
+    file_format = 'hudi',
+    unique_key = 'id',
+) }}
+
+{% if not is_incremental() %}
+
+select cast(1 as bigint) as id, 'hello' as msg
+union all
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'goodbye' as msg
+
+{% else %}
+
+select cast(2 as bigint) as id, 'yo' as msg
+union all
+select cast(3 as bigint) as id, 'anyway' as msg
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/test_incremental_strategies.py b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/test_incremental_strategies.py
index 64966ece5..75b7ac45f 100644
--- a/test/custom/incremental_strategies/test_incremental_strategies.py
+++ b/test/custom/incremental_strategies/test_incremental_strategies.py
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ def project_config(self):
             },
         }
 
+    def seed_and_run_once(self):
+        self.run_dbt(["seed"])
+        self.run_dbt(["run"])
+
     def seed_and_run_twice(self):
         self.run_dbt(["seed"])
         self.run_dbt(["run"])
@@ -78,6 +82,26 @@ def test_delta_strategies_databricks_cluster(self):
         self.run_and_test()
 
 
+class TestHudiStrategies(TestIncrementalStrategies):
+    @property
+    def models(self):
+        return "models_hudi"
+
+    def run_and_test(self):
+        self.seed_and_run_once()
+        self.assertTablesEqual("append", "expected_append")
+        self.assertTablesEqual("merge_no_key", "expected_append")
+        self.assertTablesEqual("merge_unique_key", "expected_upsert")
+        self.assertTablesEqual(
+            "insert_overwrite_no_partitions", "expected_overwrite")
+        self.assertTablesEqual(
+            "insert_overwrite_partitions", "expected_upsert")
+
+    @use_profile("apache_spark")
+    def test_hudi_strategies_apache_spark(self):
+        self.run_and_test()
+
+
 class TestBadStrategies(TestIncrementalStrategies):
     @property
     def models(self):
diff --git a/test/custom/persist_docs/models/schema.yml b/test/custom/persist_docs/models/schema.yml
index 78dcda799..35f478266 100644
--- a/test/custom/persist_docs/models/schema.yml
+++ b/test/custom/persist_docs/models/schema.yml
@@ -49,6 +49,30 @@ models:
         description: |
           Some stuff here and then a call to
           {{ doc('my_fun_doc')}}
+
+  - name: table_hudi_model
+    description: |
+      Table model description "with double quotes"
+      and with 'single  quotes' as welll as other;
+      '''abc123'''
+      reserved -- characters
+      --
+      /* comment */
+      Some $lbl$ labeled $lbl$ and $$ unlabeled $$ dollar-quoting
+    columns:
+      - name: id
+        description: |
+          id Column description "with double quotes"
+          and with 'single  quotes' as welll as other;
+          '''abc123'''
+          reserved -- characters
+          --
+          /* comment */
+          Some $lbl$ labeled $lbl$ and $$ unlabeled $$ dollar-quoting
+      - name: name
+        description: |
+          Some stuff here and then a call to
+          {{ doc('my_fun_doc')}}
   
   - name: view_model
     description: |
diff --git a/test/custom/persist_docs/models/table_hudi_model.sql b/test/custom/persist_docs/models/table_hudi_model.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..60b95c684
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/custom/persist_docs/models/table_hudi_model.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+{{ config(materialized='table', file_format='hudi') }}
+select 1 as id, 'Vino' as name
diff --git a/test/integration/spark-thrift-hudi.dbtspec b/test/integration/spark-thrift-hudi.dbtspec
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21546c97f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/spark-thrift-hudi.dbtspec
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+target:
+  type: spark
+  host: localhost
+  user: dbt
+  method: thrift
+  port: 10000
+  connect_retries: 5
+  connect_timeout: 60
+  schema: "analytics_{{ var('_dbt_random_suffix') }}"
+projects:
+  - overrides: snapshot_strategy_check_cols
+    dbt_project_yml: &file_format_hudi
+      # we're going to UPDATE the seed tables as part of testing, so we must make them hudi format
+      seeds:
+        dbt_test_project:
+          file_format: hudi
+      snapshots:
+        dbt_test_project:
+          file_format: hudi
+  - overrides: snapshot_strategy_timestamp
+    dbt_project_yml: *file_format_delta
+sequences:
+  test_dbt_empty: empty
+  test_dbt_base: base
+  test_dbt_ephemeral: ephemeral
+  test_dbt_incremental: incremental
+  # snapshots require hudi format
+  test_dbt_snapshot_strategy_timestamp: snapshot_strategy_timestamp
+  test_dbt_snapshot_strategy_check_cols: snapshot_strategy_check_cols
+  test_dbt_data_test: data_test
+  test_dbt_schema_test: schema_test
+  # the local cluster currently tests on spark 2.x, which does not support this
+  # if we upgrade it to 3.x, we can enable this test
+  # test_dbt_ephemeral_data_tests: data_test_ephemeral_models
diff --git a/test/unit/test_macros.py b/test/unit/test_macros.py
index 151631e08..06ce202a7 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_macros.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_macros.py
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ def test_macros_create_table_as_file_format(self):
         sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1').strip()
         self.assertEqual(sql, "create or replace table my_table using delta as select 1")
 
+        self.config['file_format'] = 'hudi'
+        sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1').strip()
+        self.assertEqual(sql, "create table my_table using hudi as select 1")
+
     def test_macros_create_table_as_options(self):
         template = self.__get_template('adapters.sql')
 
@@ -51,6 +55,30 @@ def test_macros_create_table_as_options(self):
         sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1').strip()
         self.assertEqual(sql, 'create or replace table my_table using delta options (compression "gzip" ) as select 1')
 
+        self.config['file_format'] = 'hudi'
+        sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1').strip()
+        self.assertEqual(sql, 'create table my_table using hudi options (compression "gzip" ) as select 1')
+
+    def test_macros_create_table_as_hudi_options(self):
+        template = self.__get_template('adapters.sql')
+
+        self.config['file_format'] = 'hudi'
+        self.config['unique_key'] = 'id'
+        sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1 as id').strip()
+        self.assertEqual(sql, 'create table my_table using hudi options (primaryKey "id" ) as select 1 as id')
+
+        self.config['file_format'] = 'hudi'
+        self.config['unique_key'] = 'id'
+        self.config['options'] = {'primaryKey': 'id'}
+        sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1 as id').strip()
+        self.assertEqual(sql, 'create table my_table using hudi options (primaryKey "id" ) as select 1 as id')
+
+        self.config['file_format'] = 'hudi'
+        self.config['unique_key'] = 'uuid'
+        self.config['options'] = {'primaryKey': 'id'}
+        sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1 as id')
+        self.assertIn('mock.raise_compiler_error()', sql)
+
     def test_macros_create_table_as_partition(self):
         template = self.__get_template('adapters.sql')
 
@@ -113,3 +141,10 @@ def test_macros_create_table_as_all(self):
             sql,
             "create or replace table my_table using delta partitioned by (partition_1,partition_2) clustered by (cluster_1,cluster_2) into 1 buckets location '/mnt/root/my_table' comment 'Description Test' as select 1"
         )
+
+        self.config['file_format'] = 'hudi'
+        sql = self.__run_macro(template, 'spark__create_table_as', False, 'my_table', 'select 1').strip()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            sql,
+            "create table my_table using hudi partitioned by (partition_1,partition_2) clustered by (cluster_1,cluster_2) into 1 buckets location '/mnt/root/my_table' comment 'Description Test' as select 1"
+        )