Glossary
ETL and ELT
Also called ETL, ELT, Extract, transform, load.
Definition
ETL (extract, transform, load) and ELT (extract, load, transform) are ways of moving data from source systems into an analytics platform, differing in whether data is reshaped before or after it is loaded.
Why it matters when you’re buying
ELT has become common with cloud warehouses because transformation runs on the platform’s own compute. The choice affects cost, where data quality rules live and how easily pipelines can be tested and versioned.
How it relates to other terms
ETL and ELT pipelines usually load a data warehouse or lakehouse, and change data capture is a common way to feed them changes as they happen.
Where to go next
- Data & Analytics: news, companies and community questions
- How to evaluate Data & Analytics vendors: criteria, questions to ask and red flags
Written by Techarda editors · Updated . Think a definition is wrong or missing something? Email engage@techarda.com. All terms.