Git Branches for Your Database: What-If Analysis in DuckDB Without Copying Tables
· 9 min read
Every analyst has written this line. Nobody is proud of it.
CREATE TABLE sales_promo_v2_FINAL AS SELECT * FROM sales;
There is a better move. Branch the table instead:
CALL scenario_create('promo_q2');
ATTACH 'promo_q2' AS promo (TYPE scenario);
UPDATE promo.sales SET quantity = quantity * 1.25 WHERE product_id = 'product_1';
sales is untouched. promo.sales shows the what-if. Nothing was copied.