JSON vs Structs vs Columns in BigQuery - Observations

Shout out to Josh Peng and Claus Herther who inspired me to write this post! A common way of logging and delivering data from production systems is via the JSON format. JSON allows for a flexible schema that supports nested value pairs and arrays. In BigQuery we have a few options to consider when choosing how to store this data for use in BigQuery. JSON string column with BigQuery JSON functions Pros:  Easiest to use directly from the source system Flexible schema as source data changes Cons: We lose BigQuery’s columnar data storage benefits. Every query will pay the cost of hitting the entire JSON object. JSON functions are somewhat limited Transform the JSON into a Structs Pros: Depending on your use case this may better fit your data needs, especially if you have nested arrays in your JSON Efficient use of columnar data storage Cons: Lack of schema flexibility May be new territory for SQL users who are not used to using nested fields Transform the JSON into a standard table ...

Origins

This should be fun! This site started out as a bit of a joke with a few data professionals. With a snarky redirect to an Amazon listing for SQL All-in-One For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)). 

Upon further reflection, it became clear that there may actually be an opportunity to capture useful data knowledge and perhaps point people in the right direction. Alas, Letmesqlthatforyou.com was born, also available in the shorter url lmsqltfy.com if you prefer.

More to come soon! The plan is to blog about SQL, BigQuery, Snowflake, Apache Spark, Python, Scala, Jupyter, Hadoop, Hive, Presto, and so much more.


Comments

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  3. I also like the idea of capturing useful data knowledge rather than simply pointing readers toward reference material. SQL remains an important foundation for exploring, transforming, and querying datasets, while platforms such as BigQuery and Snowflake extend those analytical capabilities. This makes the planned content relevant to a Data Analysis Course as well.

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  4. The planned combination of programming languages, notebooks, distributed systems, and data-processing frameworks could provide plenty of opportunities for practical learning. In particular, projects that combine data collection, processing, querying, and interpretation can turn these technologies into meaningful hands-on exercises, which would be valuable for Data Science Projects for Final Year.

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