Why is it important to import large datasets into a flat structure before transformation?

Importing large datasets into a flat structure before transformation is important primarily to avoid overrunning available memory. When dealing with substantial amounts of data, maintaining a flat structure allows for efficient processing since it minimizes the complexity involved in handling hierarchical or relational data structures.

Flat structures facilitate easier access and manipulation of data, as they reduce the overhead associated with navigating through nested objects or multiple relational entities. This is particularly crucial during transformation processes, where memory management can become a bottleneck. By using a flat structure, it becomes easier to stream data and perform operations like filtering or aggregating without requiring excessive memory resources.

This practice is often aligned with performance optimization strategies, ensuring that data transformation tasks can be executed seamlessly without running into memory limitations, which can lead to process failures or slow execution times.