motherduckdb/motherduck-load-data
skills/motherduck-load-data/SKILL.md
Load and ingest data into MotherDuck from local files, object storage (S3, GCS, Azure, R2), HTTPS, dataframes, or external databases. Use for any import or bulk-load task — CSV, Parquet, JSON, Delta, Iceberg, local DuckDB database upload — and for choosing between CTAS, INSERT...SELECT, COPY, cloud-storage secrets, and Postgres-endpoint versus native DuckDB-client paths.
$ install --global
skillsauthnpx skillsauth add motherduckdb/agent-skills motherduck-load-dataInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
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Scanners in report
Clean
TrivyContainer and dependency vulnerability scanner
95%
Clean
SemgrepStatic code analysis for vulnerabilities
95%
Clean
mcp-scan (Snyk)Model Context Protocol security validation
95%
Skipped
Snyk (dep)Open source security scanning
50%
Skipped
Socket.devSupply chain security analysis
50%
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VirusTotalMulti-engine malware detection
50%
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CrowdStrikeAdvanced threat intelligence
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OSV-ScannerOpen Source Vulnerability database check
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OWASP Dep-Check
50%
Last scanned: Jun 11, 2026, 3:04 AM122.2s1 file scanned
SKILL.md
- name:
- motherduck-load-data
- description:
- Load and ingest data into MotherDuck from local files, object storage (S3, GCS, Azure, R2), HTTPS, dataframes, or external databases. Use for any import or bulk-load task — CSV, Parquet, JSON, Delta, Iceberg, local DuckDB database upload — and for choosing between CTAS, INSERT...SELECT, COPY, cloud-storage secrets, and Postgres-endpoint versus native DuckDB-client paths.
- license:
- MIT
Load Data into MotherDuck
Use this skill when the job is getting data into MotherDuck correctly and efficiently, not just writing one ad hoc import query.
Source Of Truth
- Prefer current MotherDuck loading, cloud-storage, and Postgres-endpoint loading docs first.
- Use
CREATE SECRETand cloud-storage docs for protected-object-store workflows. - Use the DuckDB database upload docs when the source is an existing local
.duckdb,.ddb, or attached DuckDB database. - Keep the loading advice aligned with MotherDuck's documented posture:
- batch over streaming
- Parquet over CSV when you control the format
- dataframe,
COPY, CTAS, orINSERT ... SELECTover row-by-row inserts - native MotherDuck storage first unless DuckLake is explicitly required
Default Posture
- Start by classifying the source: object storage or HTTPS, local file or local DuckDB, in-memory rows, or an external database.
- Prefer
CREATE TABLE AS SELECTfor first loads andINSERT INTO ... SELECTfor appends. - For whole local DuckDB databases, use
CREATE OR REPLACE DATABASE remote_name FROM CURRENT_DATABASE(), an attached local database, or a file path from a native DuckDB client after attachingmd:. - Use Parquet for durable bulk movement whenever you control the source format.
- Treat the Postgres endpoint as a thin-client path for server-side remote reads, not for local-file or extension-driven ingestion.
- Bootstrap the target MotherDuck database first when the ingestion tool does not create it automatically.
- Keep raw landing minimally transformed; do typing, deduplication, and business logic in staging or modeling steps.
- Keep source storage close to the MotherDuck region when you control placement.
Workflow
- Identify where the source data actually lives.
- Choose the loading path:
- object storage or HTTPS: remote read into MotherDuck
- local file or local DuckDB: use a DuckDB client path
- in-memory rows: Arrow or dataframe bulk load first, batched inserts only as a fallback
- external database: use the appropriate scan or replication path from a DuckDB-capable environment
- Land the data into a raw or staging table with minimal transformation.
- Validate row counts, types, and a few business aggregates immediately after the load.
- Promote into modeled tables only after the landing step is correct.
Open Next
- Read
references/INGESTION_PATTERNS.mdfor format-specific options, cloud-storage secrets, Postgres-endpoint loading tradeoffs, Python dataframe paths, and advanced ingestion patterns.
Related Skills
motherduck-connectfor choosing between the Postgres endpoint and a DuckDB client pathmotherduck-explorefor inspecting destination databases and validating landed tablesmotherduck-queryfor writing CTAS, append, and validation SQLmotherduck-model-datafor promoting landed data into staging and analytics tablesmotherduck-ducklakeonly when object-storage-backed lakehouse storage is an explicit requirement
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