September 18, 2026 · Vistelio
Merged Results, cross-database joins, and modeled alternatives all promise to combine data from two Looker Explores or two warehouses. They behave very differently. This tutorial shows how each one actually executes, where the numbers go wrong, and a decision path for choosing between them.
Read moreSeptember 15, 2026 · Vistelio
A practical tutorial on LookML localization: locale_data strings files, localization_settings, locale-aware labels and descriptions, translating LookML dashboards, driving locale from user attributes for embedded analytics, and the governance habits that keep translations from rotting.
Read moreSeptember 14, 2026 · Vistelio
Most Looker models join dimensions as if attributes never change. They do. This tutorial shows how to model SCD Type 2 history in LookML, build valid-from/valid-to joins, expose both 'as-was' and 'as-is' views of the same dimension, and keep performance sane on BigQuery.
Read moreSeptember 14, 2026 · Vistelio
A practical tutorial on exposing semi-structured BigQuery data in Looker: when to UNNEST inside a view, how to model repeated records as their own view, how to handle the native JSON type with JSON_VALUE and JSON_QUERY, and how to keep fanout and query cost under control.
Read moreSeptember 9, 2026 · Vistelio
Every mature Looker project accumulates fields nobody should use any more: revenue_v2, the metric finance disowned, the dimension that was a typo in 2022. Deleting them breaks saved Looks, schedules and embedded tiles. This tutorial walks through a repeatable deprecation workflow for LookML: proving a field is unused, staging a rename with aliases, using the Content Validator to repair saved content, and closing the window with a clean removal.
Read moreAugust 27, 2026 · Vistelio
Refinements (+view_name) and extends solve different problems in a growing LookML project. This tutorial shows when to use each, the gotchas that bite teams in production, and a folder layout that keeps generated views, global labels, and team-specific measures apart.
Read moreAugust 25, 2026
One of the pillars of Looker's powerful capabilities is LookML, its proprietary data modeling language. This article will take a deep dive into LookML, focusing on the three key concepts: Views, Explores, and Models.
Read moreAugust 25, 2026 · Vistelio
How to use the System Activity explores (History, Field Usage, PDT Event Log, Database Performance) to find slow dashboards, prune unused fields and content, attribute warehouse cost to users and schedules, and feed the results back into the model.
Read moreAugust 25, 2026 · Vistelio
A working CI pipeline for LookML: test and assert data tests, the LAMS linter, Spectacles SQL and content validation in GitHub Actions, and advanced deploy mode with deploy webhooks so production only moves when checks pass.
Read moreJuly 27, 2023
Looker allows you to create robust, flexible data models that empower users to explore data in a self-service manner. The bedrock of Looker's capabilities is LookML, Looker's easy-to-learn data modeling language. However, knowing LookML syntax is only the first step. Equally important is designing your LookML models in a way that optimizes for performance, maintainability, and user-friendliness. This article will discuss some best practices and guidelines for designing data models in Looker.
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