**UNION ALL**: SELECT * FROM t1 UNION ALL SELECT * FROM t2—concatenate; keeps duplicates. **UNION**: Removes duplicates; slower. **MERGE/UPSERT**: When conflict resolution needed—INSERT ... ON CONFLICT, MERGE. **Schema**: Ensure column order and types match. **Large**:...
This medium-level SQL question appears frequently in data engineering interviews at companies like Aarete. While less common, it tests deeper understanding that distinguishes strong candidates. Mastering the underlying concepts (partition) will help you answer variations of this question confidently.
Break this problem into components. Identify the core trade-offs involved, then walk the interviewer through your reasoning step by step. Demonstrate awareness of edge cases and production considerations - this is what separates good answers from great ones.
UNION ALL: SELECT FROM t1 UNION ALL SELECT FROM t2—concatenate; keeps duplicates. UNION: Removes duplicates; slower. MERGE/UPSERT: When conflict resolution needed—INSERT ... ON CONFLICT, MERGE. Schema: Ensure column order and types match. Large: Partition; parallel load. Idempotency: Add run_id; dedup if needed.
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Analyze My Answer — FreeAccording to DataEngPrep.tech, this is one of the most frequently asked SQL interview questions, reported at 1 company. DataEngPrep.tech maintains a curated database of 1,863+ real data engineering interview questions across 7 categories, verified by industry professionals.