Data Engineer Interview Questions and Answers
Ques 11. What is the purpose of data normalization, and when would you use it?
Data normalization is the process of organizing data to reduce redundancy and dependency. It is used to eliminate data anomalies and improve data integrity.
Example:
Breaking down a large customer table into smaller tables like 'customers' and 'orders' to avoid repeating customer information for each order.
Ques 12. Explain the concept of data sharding in a distributed database.
Data sharding involves dividing a database into smaller, independent parts (shards) that can be distributed across multiple servers. It helps improve scalability and performance.
Example:
Sharding a user database based on geographic regions to distribute the load and enhance query performance.
Ques 13. What is the difference between a star schema and a snowflake schema in data modeling?
A star schema has a central fact table connected to dimension tables, while a snowflake schema extends the star schema by normalizing dimension tables.
Example:
In a star schema, a sales fact table is linked to dimension tables like 'time' and 'product.' In a snowflake schema, the 'time' dimension may be further normalized into 'year,' 'quarter,' and 'month' tables.
Ques 14. How do you optimize SQL queries for better performance?
Optimizing SQL queries involves using indexes, avoiding SELECT * queries, and optimizing JOIN operations. Additionally, proper database design and indexing are crucial.
Example:
Rewriting a slow query by adding an index on the columns used in the WHERE clause.
Ques 15. Explain the concept of data lineage in a data pipeline.
Data lineage refers to the tracking of data as it moves through a system. It includes the source, transformation, and destination of data, providing visibility into the flow and transformations applied.
Example:
Documenting the data lineage of a customer information data pipeline, showing the extraction, transformation, and loading processes.
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