Why ELT Will Disrupt ETL

The article discusses how Extract-Transform-Load (ETL), a traditional method of data integration, is being disrupted by the more modern and efficient approach called ELT (Extract-Load-Transform). ETL has become labor-intensive, brittle, and complex due to its reliance on custom software solutions designed and built by engineers. On the other hand, ELT decouples extraction and transformation, moving data into a data warehouse before applying business logic to transform it into data models for analytics. This approach is analyst-centric, allowing shorter turnaround times for all analytics projects and timelier delivery of insights. The benefits of ELT include automation, outsourcing, and the ability to substitute technology for labor, making it more accessible and practical for companies of all sizes. As ELT platforms continue to mature and the cost of cloud infrastructure declines, most firms will eventually find no advantage to using ETL over ELT.