ELT — Extract, Load, Transform
Definition: Modern variant where raw data is loaded into the warehouse first and transformed in-place using SQL. ELT is the cloud-warehouse default — cheaper storage, more flexible modeling.
Example
In engineering planning, you'll often hear something like: "Let's pull the latest ELT numbers before we make a call" — shorthand for extract, load, transform.
When you'll hear it
ELT shows up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. When someone uses it, they're usually referring to extract, load, transform — and they expect the room to already know what that means.
FAQs
What does ELT stand for?
ELT stands for Extract, Load, Transform.
What does ELT mean in technology and engineering?
Modern variant where raw data is loaded into the warehouse first and transformed in-place using SQL. ELT is the cloud-warehouse default — cheaper storage, more flexible modeling.
Where will I hear ELT used at work?
ELT comes up most often in engineering planning, architecture reviews, and sprint retrospectives. It's used as shorthand for extract, load, transform, so people assume you already know the term.
Related terms
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