Warehouse Native Incremental Data Processing With Dynamic Tables And Delayed View Semantics

Jul 21, 2025

Dan Sotolongo, a principal engineer at Snowflake, shares insights on simplifying data engineering through incremental data processing and delayed view semantics. He dives into the complexities of managing evolving datasets in cloud warehouses, discussing how these concepts optimize resource use and reduce latency. The conversation contrasts traditional batch systems with dynamic tables and streaming solutions, emphasizing the need for a unified framework for semantic guarantees in data pipelines, and highlights the ongoing innovations in data integration and maintenance.

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ANECDOTE

Dan's Data Engineering Origin Story

Dan Sotolongo began coding in middle school and studied physics and computer science in undergrad.
Early experience with data analysis for physics experiments shaped his interest in data engineering.

INSIGHT

Essence of Incremental Processing

Incremental data processing minimizes work by updating only changed parts of continuously evolving datasets.
This reduces resource costs and latency compared to reprocessing entire datasets every time.

INSIGHT

Dynamic Tables Blend Streams and Batch

Batch systems are easier to maintain but less fresh; streaming systems offer low latency but complex operations.
Dynamic tables offer a hybrid with streaming programming model and micro-batch engine for easier use and typical latency needs.

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Summary
In this episode of the Data Engineering Podcast Dan Sotolongo from Snowflake talks about the complexities of incremental data processing in warehouse environments. Dan discusses the challenges of handling continuously evolving datasets and the importance of incremental data processing for optimized resource use and reduced latency. He explains how delayed view semantics can address these challenges by maintaining up-to-date results with minimal work, leveraging Snowflake's dynamic tables feature. The conversation also explores the broader landscape of data processing, comparing batch and streaming systems, and highlights the trade-offs between them. Dan emphasizes the need for a unified theoretical framework to discuss semantic guarantees in data pipelines and introduces the concept of delayed view semantics, touching on the limitations of current systems and the potential of dynamic tables to simplify complex data workflows.

Announcements

Hello and welcome to the Data Engineering Podcast, the show about modern data management
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Your host is Tobias Macey and today I'm interviewing Dan Sotolongo about the challenges of incremental data processing in warehouse environments and how delayed view semantics help to address the problem

Interview

Introduction
How did you get involved in the area of data management?
Can you start by defining the scope of the term "incremental data processing"?
- What are some of the common solutions that data engineers build when creating workflows to implement that pattern?
- What are some common difficulties that they encounter in the pursuit of incremental data?
Can you describe what delayed view semantics are and the story behind it?
- What are the problems that DVS explicitly doesn't address?
How does the approach that you have taken in Dynamic View Semantics compare to systems like Materialize, Feldera, etc.
Can you describe the technical architecture of the implementation of Dynamic Tables?
- What are the elements of the problem that are as-yet unsolved?
- How has the implementation changed/evolved as you learned more about the solution space?
What would be involved in implementing the delayed view semantics pattern in other dbms engines?
For someone who wants to use DVS/Dyamic Tables for managing their incremental data loads, what does the workflow look like?
- What are the options for being able to apply tests/validation logic to a dynamic table while it is operating?
What are the most interesting, innovative, or unexpected ways that you have seen Dynamic Tables used?
What are the most interesting, unexpected, or challenging lessons that you have learned while working on Dynamic Tables/Delayed View Semantics?
When are Dynamic Tables/DVS the wrong choice?
What do you have planned for the future of Dynamic Tables?

Contact Info

Parting Question

From your perspective, what is the biggest gap in the tooling or technology for data management today?

Closing Announcements

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to check out our other shows. Podcast.__init__ covers the Python language, its community, and the innovative ways it is being used. The AI Engineering Podcast is your guide to the fast-moving world of building AI systems.
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The intro and outro music is from The Hug by The Freak Fandango Orchestra / CC BY-SA