Concepts for Data Engineers: Idempotency
In this series I’m introducing several important concepts that new Data Engineers should be aware of. The other topics I talked so far:
✅ Data Modelling
✅ CDC
✅ Idempotency
I also have 2 series about python:
🐍 Efficient Python
🐍 Software Engineering with Python
Welcome, fellow data engineers! Today, we’re going to talk about idempotency — a concept that may sound intimidating, but is actually quite simple once you break it down. In this article, we’ll define what idempotency is, discuss how to implement it in data projects, and explore the benefits of using idempotency in our work. And of course, we’ll do it all with a healthy dose of humor. So grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and let’s dive in!
What is Idempotency?
Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is idempotency? In layman’s terms, an operation is considered idempotent if performing it multiple times has the same effect as performing it just once. To use a non-technical example, imagine that you’re trying to assemble a piece of furniture. If you tighten a screw multiple times, it doesn’t change the outcome — the screw is still just as tight as if you’d only tightened it once. That’s…
