A machine learning engineer is converting a decision tree from sklearn to Spark ML.

One reason that results can differ between sklearn and Spark ML decision trees, despite identical data and hyperparameters, is that Spark ML decision trees test binned feature values as representative split candidates. Spark ML uses a method called "quantile binning" to reduce the number of potential split points by grouping continuous features into bins. This binning process can lead to different splits compared to sklearn, which tests all possible split points directly. This difference in the splitting algorithm can cause variations in the resulting trees.References:

Spark MLlib Documentation (Decision Trees and Quantile Binning).