What is — DuckDB: When, Why, and How to Use It

Karim Faiz
4 min readFeb 6, 2024
Why use DuckDB

In the world of data management and analytics, selecting the right database system for your project is a critical decision. With the proliferation of specialized databases and data storage solutions, choosing the optimal one can be challenging. In this article, we’ll explore DuckDB, a rising star in the database world, and discuss when to use it, when not to use it, its advantages, and how to get started with it.

What is DuckDB?

DuckDB is an open-source, in-memory analytical database management system designed for interactive querying and high-speed data analysis. It was developed by a team of researchers at CWI (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica) in the Netherlands and is gaining popularity for its impressive performance, especially in analytical workloads.

Advantages of DuckDB

  1. Impressive Query Performance: DuckDB’s vectorized execution and columnar storage engine result in exceptional query performance for analytical workloads.
  2. Compatibility: Its SQL compatibility ensures that you can leverage your existing SQL knowledge and tools with DuckDB.

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Karim Faiz

Data Architect / Data Engineer - Follow me to stay informed and be the first to benefit from my upcoming articles! 🌟👏 My links 🔗 : https://bio.link/karimfaiz