What is ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)?
A process that extracts data from sources, transforms it into a useful format, and loads it into a destination.
Why It Matters
ETL pipelines are essential for consolidating data from multiple systems for reporting and analysis.
Real-World Example
Extracting sales data from Shopify, transforming currency values to AUD, and loading it into your data warehouse.
“Understanding terms like ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) matters because it helps you have better conversations with developers and make smarter decisions about your software. You do not need to be technical. You just need to know enough to ask the right questions.”
Related Terms
Data Pipeline
An automated series of steps that moves and processes data from one system to another.
Data Warehouse
A large database optimised for storing and analysing historical data from multiple sources.
Data Lake
A storage system that holds large amounts of raw data in its original format until it is needed.
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Related Terms
Data Warehouse
A large database optimised for storing and analysing historical data from multiple sources.
Data Lake
A storage system that holds large amounts of raw data in its original format until it is needed.
Data Pipeline
An automated series of steps that moves and processes data from one system to another.
Database
An organised collection of data that your application can store, retrieve, and update
SQL
A language for communicating with databases, used to create, read, update, and delete data
NoSQL
Databases that store data differently from traditional tables, often as flexible documents or key-value pairs