# Features and optimizations for programming AWS Glue for Spark ETL scripts
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The following sections describe techniques and values that apply generally to AWS Glue for Spark ETL (extract, transform, and load) programming in any language.

**Topics**
+ [Connection types and options for ETL in AWS Glue for Spark](aws-glue-programming-etl-connect.md)
+ [Data format options for inputs and outputs in AWS Glue for Spark](aws-glue-programming-etl-format.md)
+ [AWS Glue Data Catalog support for Spark SQL jobs](aws-glue-programming-etl-glue-data-catalog-hive.md)
+ [Using job bookmarks](programming-etl-connect-bookmarks.md)
+ [Using Sensitive Data Detection outside AWS Glue Studio](aws-glue-api-sensitive-data-example.md)
+ [AWS Glue Visual Job API](visual-job-api-chapter.md)