LookML
LookML is a modeling language for Google's Looker business intelligence platform that defines data relationships and business logic.
LookML is a special language used by Google's Looker tool. Think of it like a set of instructions that tells Looker how to understand your company's data. It defines how different pieces of information connect, like how customer orders relate to customer details.
This helps Looker organize and present your business information in a clear way. For example, you could use LookML to define what a "new customer" means, so Looker can automatically count them for you in reports.
LookML is the proprietary modeling language for Google Cloud's Looker business intelligence platform. It allows data analysts and developers to define semantic models, including dimensions, measures, and relationships between data sources. LookML code is stored in Git repositories, enabling version control and collaborative development.
The language abstracts SQL, allowing users to define business logic once and reuse it across various reports and dashboards. This promotes data consistency and reduces the complexity of ad-hoc data exploration.
LookML is relevant now because Google is integrating AI agents directly into its Looker business intelligence platform. This allows users to build custom data applications using AI, leveraging LookML to define the underlying data structures and business logic.
- How to build and deploy powerful data apps with agentsGoogle · Google Cloud Tech on YouTube ·
- Navigating AI automation in Looker: Essential developer tools for agentsGoogle · Google Cloud Tech on YouTube ·
- Google Gemini
- Google uses LookML within its Looker platform to define data models and business logic, and is now enabling AI agents to interact with and build upon these models.
- SQL
- SQL is a general-purpose database query language, while LookML is a specifi
- Python
- Python is a general-purpose programming language, whereas LookML is desi
LookML was developed by Looker, a company acquired by Google in 2019. It is the core language for defining data models within the Looker platform. Source ↗
If you have access to Looker, explore a pre-built project to see LookML in action. Look for files with the `.lkml` extension in the project's Git repository. You can also try creating a simple dimension or measure in a development environment to understand how LookML defines data elements.
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Questions people ask
- What is the main purpose of LookML?
- LookML's main purpose is to create a consistent and reusable semantic model for business data within the Looker platform, making data analysis easier and more reliable.
- Is LookML a programming language?
- LookML is best described as a modeling language. While it has a declarative syntax, it is specifically designed for defining data models in Looker, not for general-purpose programming.
First seen on Subvolts Oct 8, 2026. Updated Oct 17, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.