DuckDB: The SQLite for Analytics

Introduction

“Data scientists don’t use databases until they have to.”

– CTO of DuckDB.

DuckDB is a desk-oriented database management system (DBMS) that supports the Structured Query Language (SQL). It is an effective and lightweight DBMS that transforms data analysis and analytics of massive datasets. While there are many DBMS available, most of them are tailored to unique use cases with specific trade-offs. No single database may be the appropriate fit for all applications. In this article, we see how DuckDB can be used for a variety of diverse use cases and how it compares with other databases like SQLite.

Overview

• Understand the drawbacks of existing databases when it comes to data science and analysis.
• Understand what DuckDB is and why it’s important.
• Learn about SQLite and its limitations.
• Learn how to install and use DuckDB for different tasks such as web analytics, optimizing ETL pipelines, reading CSV files, and more.

Why Existing Databases Fall Short for Data Scientists

Before we get into the meat of the topic, let’s first understand why existing databases fall short for data scientists.

1. Integration Challenges

• Compatibility with Data Science Libraries: Existing databases often have poor integration with popular data science libraries like Scikit-learn or TensorFlow. This complicates workflows and slows down the data analysis process.
• Difficulty with Applications: Integrating databases with records technology programs, consisting of Jupyter Notebooks or RStudio, is bulky. This calls for extra steps and custom configurations, which can be time-consuming and error-inclined.

2. Constant Updates and Maintenance

• Frequent Updates: Databases frequently require updates and maintenance. Keeping up with these updates can be a significant overhead, especially for data scientists who prefer to focus on analysis rather than database administration.
• Dependency Management: Managing dependencies and ensuring compatibility with the latest versions of libraries and tools adds complexity to the setup and maintenance of the database system.

3. Complex Setup Processes

• Server Setup: Setting up traditional databases often involves configuring and managing a server. This includes installation, setting up user permissions, and maintaining server health.
• Connector Configuration: Connecting applications to the database typically requires configuring connectors or drivers. This process can be intricate and varies between systems, leading to potential compatibility issues.
• Database Initialization: Initializing the database, creating schemas, and ensuring the environment is ready for data ingestion can be a daunting task for those without extensive database administration knowledge.

4. Ingestion and Extraction Difficulties

• Data Ingestion: Importing large datasets into traditional databases can be slow and inefficient. This hampers the ability to quickly analyze data and derive insights.
• Data Extraction: Extracting data from databases for use in analysis tools can be equally cumbersome. It often involves writing complex queries and exporting data into formats that are compatible with data science tools.

Learn More: Understanding the need for DBMS

Why Use DuckDB?

Amidst all of these drawbacks, DuckDB appeared as a promising solution for analytical databases. Here are the features that make DuckDB the best choice for data analysts.

1. Ease of Use

• Simple Setup and Minimal Configuration: DuckDB requires no server setup, making it incredibly easy to get started. A simple installation command is all it takes to have a fully functional database up and running.
• Seamless Integration with Data Science Tools: DuckDB integrates effortlessly with popular data science tools and environments such as Python, R, Jupyter Notebooks, and RStudio. This allows data scientists to leverage DuckDB’s capabilities directly within their existing workflows without additional setup.

2. In-Memory Processing

• Efficient In-Memory Analytics Capabilities: DuckDB performs in-memory computations, which significantly speeds up data processing. This is particularly beneficial for analytical workloads where fast, iterative querying and data manipulation are essential.

3. SQL Support

• Comprehensive Support for SQL Queries: DuckDB supports the full SQL standard, allowing users to run complex queries and perform advanced analytics using familiar SQL syntax. This eliminates the learning curve for those already proficient in SQL.

4. Performance

• Fast Query Execution: DuckDB is optimized for analytical queries, providing rapid query execution even on large datasets. Its performance is on par with much larger and more complex database systems.
• Parallel Processing: DuckDB leverages multi-threading to execute queries in parallel, further enhancing its performance. This ensures that even computationally intensive queries are executed efficiently, making it ideal for data-heavy tasks.

SQLite and Its Limitations

SQLite is an extensively used, serverless, self-contained SQL database engine. It is known for its simplicity, reliability, and small footprint. Moreover, it’s a lightweight database, which makes it the perfect choice for embedded structures, cellular packages, and small to medium-sized applications.

However, SQLite does have some limitations.

• Not Optimized for Analytical Workloads: While SQLite excels at handling transactional workloads, it isn’t designed for complicated analytical queries. Operations like massive-scale facts aggregations joins, and advanced analytics can be slow and inefficient in SQLite.
• Performance Bottlenecks with Large Datasets: SQLite struggles with performance while handling huge datasets. As the size of the facts grows, question execution instances boom notably, making it less appropriate for large information programs.
• Limited Multi-Threading and Parallel Processing Capabilities: SQLite has limited support for multi-threading and parallel processing. This restricts its ability to efficiently utilize modern multi-core processors for faster query execution, leading to performance constraints in high-demand scenarios.

Installation of DuckDB

DuckDB can be easily installed on different platforms using pip on python:

Windows: pip install duckdb

macOS: brew install duckdb

Linux: DuckDB is not available directly via apt or yum repositories. Installation may require compiling from source or using alternative installation methods.

You can also use this link to try the commands.

Data Ingestion and Basic Queries in DuckDB Shell

1. Direct CSV File and Pan​_das DataFrame Integration

DuckDB simplifies data ingestion by allowing direct reading of CSV files into the database. This process eliminates the need for complex ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) pipelines, enabling quick data integration for analysis.

Example

CREATE TABLE my_table AS SELECT * FROM read_csv('path_to_csv_file.csv');

DuckDB seamlessly integrates with Python’s Pandas library, facilitating the transfer of data between Pandas DataFrames and DuckDB tables. This integration streamlines the workflow for data scientists accustomed to working with Pandas.

Example

import pandas as pd
import duckdb

# Create a Pandas DataFrame
df = pd.read_csv('data.csv')

# Connect to DuckDB and insert Pandas DataFrame into DuckDB table
con = duckdb.connect(database=':memory:')
con.register('df', df)
con.execute('CREATE TABLE duckdb_table AS SELECT * FROM df;')

2. Basic Queries in DuckDB Shell

DuckDB’s SQL-compatible interface allows data scientists to perform a wide range of queries directly within the DuckDB shell or through integrated development environments (IDEs) like Jupyter Notebooks.

Example (in DuckDB shell)

-- Basic SELECT query
SELECT * FROM duckdb_table WHERE Age > 50;

-- Aggregation query
SELECT SUM(Fare) AS total_sum FROM my_table;

-- Join query
SELECT t1.column1, t2.column2
FROM table1 t1
JOIN table2 t2 ON t1.id = t2.id;

3. Use of Multiple Sources

DuckDB helps us study data from numerous sources including CSV documents, Parquet files, and Pandas DataFrames. This flexibility allows facts scientists to seamlessly integrate data points from special codecs into their analytical workflows.

Example

-- Import data from Parquet file
CREATE TABLE parquet_table AS SELECT * FROM read_parquet('path_to_parquet_file.parquet');

Use Cases of DuckDB

Now let’s explore the diverse use cases of DuckDB.

1. Integration with Applications

Web Analytics

DuckDB may be embedded in net applications to offer real-time analytics. For instance, an e-trade website can use DuckDB to analyze consumer behavior, tune income tendencies, and generate dynamic reports without delay inside the utility.

Example:

from flask import Flask, jsonify
import duckdb

app = Flask(__name__)
con = duckdb.connect(database=':memory:')

@app.route('/analytics')
def analytics():
    result = con.execute("SELECT * FROM user_activity WHERE action = 'purchase'").fetchall()
    return jsonify(result)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run()

Java or Python Applications

DuckDB can be integrated into desktop applications written in Java or Python for enhanced data processing capabilities. It allows these applications to perform complex queries and data analysis without the need for an external database server.

Example (Python)

import duckdb

def perform_analysis(data):
    con = duckdb.connect(database=':memory:')
    con.execute("CREATE TABLE analysis_data AS SELECT * FROM read_csv(data)")
    result = con.execute("SELECT AVG(column1) FROM analysis_data").fetchone()
    return result

2. Part of Data Pipelines

DuckDB can be used in Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) pipelines to optimize techniques and analyze information because it efficiently handles data movement among various structures. Its in-memory skills and fast question execution make it best for remodeling and aggregating data earlier than loading it into a facts warehouse or every other device.

Example

import duckdb

def etl_process(source_csv, destination_db):
    con = duckdb.connect(database=':memory:')
    con.execute(f"CREATE TABLE temp_table AS SELECT * FROM read_csv('{source_csv}')")
    con.execute(f"INSERT INTO destination_table SELECT * FROM temp_table")

3. DuckDB for Reading Parquet and CSV Files

DuckDB excels at reading and processing Parquet and CSV documents, which might be commonplace formats in data engineering and facts technological know-how. This makes it a treasured device for fast loading and analyzing huge datasets saved in these codecs.

Learn More: How to Read and Write With CSV Files in Python?

Example:

import duckdb

# Reading a CSV file
con = duckdb.connect(database=':memory:')
con.execute("CREATE TABLE csv_data AS SELECT * FROM read_csv('data.csv')")

# Reading a Parquet file
con.execute("CREATE TABLE parquet_data AS SELECT * FROM read_parquet('data.parquet')")

4. Interactive Data Analysis

DuckDB is tremendously effective for interactive records evaluation and exploratory data analysis (EDA). Data scientists can use DuckDB inside Jupyter Notebooks or other interactive environments to fast query and visualize data, allowing quicker insights and choice-making.

Example:

import duckdb
import pandas as pd

# Connect to DuckDB and load data
on = duckdb.connect(database=':memory:')
df = pd.read_csv('data.csv')
con.register('df', df)

# Perform interactive queries
result = con.execute("SELECT * FROM df WHERE column1 > 100").fetchdf()
print(result)

These use instances demonstrate DuckDB’s versatility and effective talents in numerous situations, from web and computer packages to data pipelines and interactive data analysis, making it an invaluable tool for data scientists and developers alike.

Conclusion

DuckDB is a game-changer for data scientists, combining the simplicity of SQLite with the electricity needed for complex analytical responsibilities. It addresses not unusual demanding situations like integration difficulties, constant preservation, complex setup, and inefficient facts coping with, offering a streamlined solution tailored for present-day records workflows.

With seamless integration into popular records technological know-how tools, in-memory processing, and complete SQL support, DuckDB excels in performance and ease of use. Its versatility in applications, ETL pipelines, and interactive data analysis make it an invaluable asset for an extensive range of eventualities.

By adopting DuckDB, data scientists can simplify workflows, and reduce database management overhead, and consciousness of deriving insights from facts. As data volumes and complexity grow, DuckDB’s combination of strength, simplicity, and versatility could be more and more vital in the data science toolkit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Abhishek Kumar

Hello, I'm Abhishek, a Data Engineer Trainee at Analytics Vidhya. I'm passionate about data engineering and video games I have experience in Apache Hadoop, AWS, and SQL,and I keep on exploring their intricacies and optimizing data workflows 

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