Ibis

Ibis is a Python dataframe library that provides a unified interface for data manipulation across various database backends, including DuckDB, BigQuery, Snowflake, and more. It allows users to write pandas-like expressions that are compiled to SQL or executed natively on the target backend, enabling seamless portability without rewriting code. The problem it solves is the fragmentation of analytics workflows: data scientists and engineers often need to switch between different tools or dialects when working with different databases. Ibis abstracts away these differences, letting you focus on analysis rather than syntax. It supports lazy evaluation, meaning expressions are built up and executed only when needed, which can optimize performance. Ibis is particularly useful for teams that work with multiple data sources or want to future-proof their analytics code against backend changes. It is open-source and actively developed, with a growing ecosystem of connectors.

Ibis has gained traction on GitHub as a practical solution for portable analytics, with recent releases and growing community adoption.