Why Semantic Layers Matter (and how to build one with DuckDB)

44 secondrow 3 8/19/2025, 4:49:15 PM motherduck.com ↗

Comments (3)

LargoLasskhyfv · 1m ago
OT, but I really like the design of their site.
mritchie712 · 1h ago
We built a transformation library[0] (think a simpler, more performant dbt) for duckdb and I'd really like to create a semantic layer as an extension for it at some point.

Limiting support to only duckdb would make some really useful features trivial to implement. e.g. duckdb has a `json_serialize_sql` function that would handle a lot of the tedious parts of building a semantic layer.

0 - https://github.com/definite-app/crabwalk

whitten · 1h ago
I think Common Logic ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Logic - ISO/IEC 24707:2007) would be a good addition to any effort trying to add a semantic layer to any database.

This is a good write up that doesn’t require DuckDB as it isn’t specific to a particular database.