/data-quality-frameworks

name: data-quality-frameworks
description: Implement data quality validation with Great Expectations, dbt tests, and data contracts. Use when building data quality pipelines, implementing validation rules, or establishing data contracts.

Data Quality Frameworks

Production patterns for implementing data quality with Great Expectations, dbt tests, and data contracts to ensure reliable data pipelines.

When to Use This Skill

• Implementing data quality checks in pipelines
• Setting up Great Expectations validation
• Building comprehensive dbt test suites
• Establishing data contracts between teams
• Monitoring data quality metrics
• Automating data validation in CI/CD

Core Concepts

1. Data Quality Dimensions

| Dimension | Description | Example Check | |-----------|-------------|---------------| | **Completeness** | No missing values | `expect_column_values_to_not_be_null` | | **Uniqueness** | No duplicates | `expect_column_values_to_be_unique` | | **Validity** | Values in expected range | `expect_column_values_to_be_in_set` | | **Accuracy** | Data matches reality | Cross-reference validation | | **Consistency** | No contradictions | `expect_column_pair_values_A_to_be_greater_than_B` | | **Timeliness** | Data is recent | `expect_column_max_to_be_between` |

2. Testing Pyramid for Data

          /\
         /  \     Integration Tests (cross-table)
        /────\
       /      \   Unit Tests (single column)
      /────────\
     /          \ Schema Tests (structure)
    /────────────\

Quick Start

Great Expectations Setup

# Install
pip install great_expectations

# Initialize project
great_expectations init

# Create datasource
great_expectations datasource new

# great_expectations/checkpoints/daily_validation.yml
import great_expectations as gx

# Create context
context = gx.get_context()

# Create expectation suite
suite = context.add_expectation_suite("orders_suite")

# Add expectations
suite.add_expectation(
    gx.expectations.ExpectColumnValuesToNotBeNull(column="order_id")
)
suite.add_expectation(
    gx.expectations.ExpectColumnValuesToBeUnique(column="order_id")
)

# Validate
results = context.run_checkpoint(checkpoint_name="daily_orders")

Patterns

Pattern 1: Great Expectations Suite

# expectations/orders_suite.py
import great_expectations as gx
from great_expectations.core import ExpectationSuite
from great_expectations.core.expectation_configuration import ExpectationConfiguration

def build_orders_suite() -> ExpectationSuite:
    """Build comprehensive orders expectation suite"""

    suite = ExpectationSuite(expectation_suite_name="orders_suite")

    # Schema expectations
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_table_columns_to_match_set",
        kwargs={
            "column_set": ["order_id", "customer_id", "amount", "status", "created_at"],
            "exact_match": False  # Allow additional columns
        }
    ))

    # Primary key
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_values_to_not_be_null",
        kwargs={"column": "order_id"}
    ))
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_values_to_be_unique",
        kwargs={"column": "order_id"}
    ))

    # Foreign key
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_values_to_not_be_null",
        kwargs={"column": "customer_id"}
    ))

    # Categorical values
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_values_to_be_in_set",
        kwargs={
            "column": "status",
            "value_set": ["pending", "processing", "shipped", "delivered", "cancelled"]
        }
    ))

    # Numeric ranges
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_values_to_be_between",
        kwargs={
            "column": "amount",
            "min_value": 0,
            "max_value": 100000,
            "strict_min": True  # amount > 0
        }
    ))

    # Date validity
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_values_to_be_dateutil_parseable",
        kwargs={"column": "created_at"}
    ))

    # Freshness - data should be recent
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_max_to_be_between",
        kwargs={
            "column": "created_at",
            "min_value": {"$PARAMETER": "now - timedelta(days=1)"},
            "max_value": {"$PARAMETER": "now"}
        }
    ))

    # Row count sanity
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_table_row_count_to_be_between",
        kwargs={
            "min_value": 1000,  # Expect at least 1000 rows
            "max_value": 10000000
        }
    ))

    # Statistical expectations
    suite.add_expectation(ExpectationConfiguration(
        expectation_type="expect_column_mean_to_be_between",
        kwargs={
            "column": "amount",
            "min_value": 50,
            "max_value": 500
        }
    ))

    return suite

Pattern 2: Great Expectations Checkpoint

# great_expectations/checkpoints/orders_checkpoint.yml
name: orders_checkpoint
config_version: 1.0
class_name: Checkpoint
run_name_template: "%Y%m%d-%H%M%S-orders-validation"

validations:
  - batch_request:
      datasource_name: warehouse
      data_connector_name: default_inferred_data_connector_name
      data_asset_name: orders
      data_connector_query:
        index: -1  # Latest batch
    expectation_suite_name: orders_suite

action_list:
  - name: store_validation_result
    action:
      class_name: StoreValidationResultAction

  - name: store_evaluation_parameters
    action:
      class_name: StoreEvaluationParametersAction

  - name: update_data_docs
    action:
      class_name: Updat