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In typical SQL world (Structured Query Language), usually managing and manipulating data efficiently is very crucial for its performance, database lifecycle or DWH scalability. Temporary tables and materialized views are two powerful constructs (objects) that help in achieving both objectives simultaneously. Even though each serves a unique purpose within data operations and data streams. Let´s look at both little closer.

Temporary Tables

We can define them as typical tables which are created within a database session and are only available during the lifetime of that particular session. Lifetime during session is critical as they are designed to store intermediate results, results of window functions for complex calculations or data processing tasks and massive data manipulations.

Temporary tables are essentially useful in scenarios where data needs to be temporarily held and manipulated without affecting the main database tables. Here comes why it is called “temporary”. After your session ends, the temporary table is automatically discarded - same as you run command DROP TABLE, after query results are taken into another step. This way processing ensures no permanent database storage is consumed. You can imagine storing all 245 steps and their output tables consisting of 6 billion rows and 700 columns each day to have versions of each step.

At its core, functional testing involves validating all the use cases and requirements outlined in the Functional Requirements Document (FRD) or other business requirement specifications to ensure the product operates as intended. In contrast, non-functional testing focuses on evaluating the product's quality attributes, such as performance, compliance with governance standards, security measures, and overall system reliability, ensuring it meets predefined benchmarks beyond functional correctness.

Testing is a critical phase in the software development lifecycle, ensuring that a product meets its requirements and functions as intended. It is broadly divided into two categories: functional testing and non-functional testing. Understanding these categories is essential for developing robust, reliable, and user-friendly software systems. This chapter explores these two testing types, their significance, methodologies, examples, and key differences.