szehon-ho commented on code in PR #16025:
URL: https://github.com/apache/iceberg/pull/16025#discussion_r4252719723


##########
format/spec.md:
##########
@@ -1130,6 +1276,14 @@ When expiring snapshots, retention policies in table and 
snapshot references are
     2. The snapshot is not one of the first `min-snapshots-to-keep` in the 
branch (including the branch's referenced snapshot)
 5. Expire any snapshot not in the set of snapshots to retain.
 
+#### Deleting Files
+
+A file may be deleted from the file system when the snapshot in which it was 
deleted is garbage collected, assuming that older snapshots have also been 
garbage collected [1].
+
+Notes:
+
+1. Technically, data files can be deleted when the last snapshot that contains 
the file as "live" data is garbage collected. But this is harder to detect and 
requires finding the diff of multiple snapshots. It is easier to track what 
files are deleted in a snapshot and delete them when that snapshot expires.  It 
is not recommended to add a deleted file back to a table. Adding a deleted file 
can lead to edge cases where incremental deletes can break table snapshots.

Review Comment:
   i guess it's moved, but this is a bit annoying to read as they are two 
points.  Can we put (2) while we are at it (the part about not re-adding the 
file back).  Anyway as we moved only point 1, having just number 1 looks 
strange too.



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