looker

Looker is a business intelligence and data analytics platform that enables users to explore, analyze, and visualize data. Central to Looker is LookML, a modeling language used to define a semantic layer of dimensions, measures, and data relationships. Queries generated from LookML models run against a connected database or data warehouse to produce looks, dashboards, and explorations.

Looker was founded in 2012 by Lloyd Tabb and Frank Bien in Santa Cruz, California. The company introduced a web-based interface and emphasized centralized data modeling to ensure consistent dashboards and metrics across an organization. In 2019, Google Cloud acquired Looker for approximately $2.6 billion, integrating it into its cloud analytics portfolio.

Platform and use: Looker connects to a wide range of SQL databases and data warehouses, including Google BigQuery, Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, and PostgreSQL. It provides Explores for ad hoc data analysis, Looks as saved queries, and Dashboards for data visualization. It supports embedded analytics, scheduling, alerts, and APIs for integration and automation. The LookML model acts as a single source of truth for metrics, supporting governance and consistent metrics across teams.

Reception and context: Looker competes with other BI and analytics tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Qlik. Its strengths include centralized modeling, scalable governance, and the ability to embed analytics in applications, while its learning curve for LookML can be a consideration for new users. As part of Google Cloud, Looker integrates with other cloud data services and analytics products to support data-driven decision making across industries.