Data Modeling Strategies

This course introduces Databricks Apps, a new feature that empowers developers to build and deploy secure data and AI applications directly on the Databricks platform. It is primarily designed for data scientists, data engineers, and developers who need to create custom applications that make data insights accessible to non-technical users within their organizations.The course begins with an overview of the main components of Databricks Apps, followed by the deployment of a simple app using available templates. Next, you will learn how to build and deploy a data-driven application that integrates with other platform features. The course then covers how to set up an IDE for Databricks Apps, and how to edit and deploy an app using an IDE. It concludes with how to implement security and best practices for an enterprise app.

Note: Databricks Academy is transitioning to a notebook-based format for classroom sessions within the Databricks environment, discontinuing the use of slide decks for lectures. You can access the lecture notebooks in the Vocareum lab environment.

In this course, you will explore core SQL programming and procedural logic skills within Databricks, focusing on how to build modular, maintainable, and production-ready analytics workflows. You’ll start by learning about key SQL constructs—such as Common Table Expressions (including advanced recursive CTEs), session-scoped objects like temporary views and tables, and User Defined Functions—that make your SQL development cleaner and more reusable. The course then guides you through advanced SQL scripting techniques using compound statements, variables, control flow, conditionals, loops, and robust error handling to create structured and flexible SQL processes. You will also learn how to guarantee data consistency across these multi-step pipelines using ACID-compliant multi-statement transactions. Finally, you’ll discover how to encapsulate logic into SQL Stored Procedures and orchestrate complex workflows with Lakeflow Jobs and migration strategies, transforming legacy tasks into modular, automated pipelines that leverage the full capabilities of the Databricks platform.

In this course, you’ll learn how to empower your data consumers to get validated business insights with less burden on you and the rest of your enterprise's data and AI team. Through building a semantic layer on top of your gold layer, you'll offer decision makers and business analysts the opportunity to explore key business performance indicators in novel ways, while still maintaining efficient data operations and enterprise-vetted metrics.