Create a Date Dimension in Databricks SQL with the SEQUENCE Function! 📆

Building a Date Dimension is a cornerstone of any data warehouse, but it can often feel like a tedious task. Luckily, Databricks SQL makes it easier than ever with the SEQUENCE function! 🚀

The SEQUENCE function allows you to generate a series of values directly in SQL, making it perfect for creating a Date Dimension without relying on external scripts or complex code.

Here’s How You Can Do It in Databricks SQL:

Imagine you want a Date Dimension for the year 2024. With SEQUENCE, you can generate all the dates in just a few lines:

SELECT EXPLODE(SEQUENCE(DATE('2024-01-01'), DATE('2024-12-31'), INTERVAL 1 DAY)) AS calendar_date

What’s Happening Here?

• SEQUENCE: This function creates an array of dates, starting from 2024-01-01 and ending on 2024-12-31, with a daily interval (INTERVAL 1 DAY).
• EXPLODE: Converts the array into individual rows, giving you a clean, tabular list of dates.

Now you’ve got a foundation for your Date Dimension! From here, you can enhance it by adding columns for:

• Day of the week
• Fiscal periods