# SQL Queries Bigquery Google Cloud

> Sub-skill of sql-queries: BigQuery (Google Cloud) (+2).

- Skill: `vamseeachanta/sql-queries-bigquery-google-cloud` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add vamseeachanta/sql-queries-bigquery-google-cloud`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/vamseeachanta/sql-queries-bigquery-google-cloud/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: vamseeachanta (https://skillmd.com/u/vamseeachanta)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/vamseeachanta/sql-queries-bigquery-google-cloud

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# BigQuery (Google Cloud) (+2)

## BigQuery (Google Cloud)


**Date/time:**
```sql
-- Current date/time
CURRENT_DATE(), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()

-- Date arithmetic
DATE_ADD(date_column, INTERVAL 7 DAY)
DATE_SUB(date_column, INTERVAL 1 MONTH)
DATE_DIFF(end_date, start_date, DAY)
TIMESTAMP_DIFF(end_ts, start_ts, HOUR)

-- Truncate to period
DATE_TRUNC(created_at, MONTH)
TIMESTAMP_TRUNC(created_at, HOUR)

-- Extract parts
EXTRACT(YEAR FROM created_at)
EXTRACT(DAYOFWEEK FROM created_at)  -- 1=Sunday

-- Format
FORMAT_DATE('%Y-%m-%d', date_column)
FORMAT_TIMESTAMP('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', ts_column)
```

**String functions:**
```sql
-- No ILIKE, use LOWER()
LOWER(column) LIKE '%pattern%'
REGEXP_CONTAINS(column, r'pattern')
REGEXP_EXTRACT(column, r'pattern')

-- String manipulation
SPLIT(str, delimiter)  -- returns ARRAY
ARRAY_TO_STRING(array, delimiter)
```

**Arrays and structs:**
```sql
-- Array operations
ARRAY_AGG(column)
UNNEST(array_column)
ARRAY_LENGTH(array_column)
value IN UNNEST(array_column)

-- Struct access
struct_column.field_name
```

**Performance tips:**
- Always filter on partition columns (usually date) to reduce bytes scanned
- Use clustering for frequently filtered columns within partitions
- Use `APPROX_COUNT_DISTINCT()` for large-scale cardinality estimates
- Avoid `SELECT *` -- billing is per-byte scanned
- Use `DECLARE` and `SET` for parameterized scripts
- Preview query cost with dry run before executing large queries

---


## Redshift (Amazon)


**Date/time:**
```sql
-- Current date/time
CURRENT_DATE, GETDATE(), SYSDATE

-- Date arithmetic
DATEADD(day, 7, date_column)
DATEDIFF(day, start_date, end_date)

-- Truncate to period
DATE_TRUNC('month', created_at)

-- Extract parts
EXTRACT(YEAR FROM created_at)
DATE_PART('dow', created_at)
```

**String functions:**
```sql
-- Case-insensitive
column ILIKE '%pattern%'
REGEXP_INSTR(column, 'pattern') > 0

-- String manipulation
SPLIT_PART(str, delimiter, position)
LISTAGG(column, ', ') WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY column)
```

**Performance tips:**
- Design distribution keys for collocated joins (DISTKEY)
- Use sort keys for frequently filtered columns (SORTKEY)
- Use `EXPLAIN` to check query plan
- Avoid cross-node data movement (watch for DS_BCAST and DS_DIST)
- `ANALYZE` and `VACUUM` regularly
- Use late-binding views for schema flexibility

---


## Databricks SQL


**Date/time:**
```sql
-- Current date/time
CURRENT_DATE(), CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()

-- Date arithmetic
DATE_ADD(date_column, 7)
DATEDIFF(end_date, start_date)
ADD_MONTHS(date_column, 1)

-- Truncate to period
DATE_TRUNC('MONTH', created_at)
TRUNC(date_column, 'MM')

-- Extract parts
YEAR(created_at), MONTH(created_at)
DAYOFWEEK(created_at)
```

**Delta Lake features:**
```sql
-- Time travel
SELECT * FROM my_table TIMESTAMP AS OF '2024-01-15'
SELECT * FROM my_table VERSION AS OF 42

-- Describe history
DESCRIBE HISTORY my_table

-- Merge (upsert)
MERGE INTO target USING source
ON target.id = source.id
WHEN MATCHED THEN UPDATE SET *
WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN INSERT *
```

**Performance tips:**
- Use Delta Lake's `OPTIMIZE` and `ZORDER` for query performance
- Leverage Photon engine for compute-intensive queries
- Use `CACHE TABLE` for frequently accessed datasets
- Partition by low-cardinality date columns

---