Seek Build Tools (SBT)
Seek Build Tools (SBT) is a framework that empowers data scientists and analysts to create and deploy end-to-end data pipelines—from data ingestion to visualization—within a single project. Once completed, the project can be deployed to Insight Cloud, Seek's cloud-based analytics platform, where users can securely run your app against their own data.
Why SBT?
SBT simplifies the process of building and deploying complex data analytics apps by providing a consistent interface for creating modular data pipelines while abstracting away the underlying infrastructure. This allows you to focus on developing your app's logic and visualizations, rather than managing the tools and services needed for production.
In addition to a streamlined development experience, SBT includes features that support common data engineering and data science workflows, such as schema validation, data versioning, data lineage tracking, machine learning model management, and more.
SBT also enables you to publish your apps on the Seek Insight Cloud, providing an opportunity to monetize your work through the Insight Cloud App Store. Your apps can reach a broad audience of data analytics professionals, including those at numerous Fortune 500 companies.
What is SBT?
SBT is a CLI and Python toolkit designed for efficiently building data pipelines and deploying them to the Insight Cloud. It provides a set of commands, classes and conventions that help you structure your project, define data sources, write models, create visualizations, and package everything into a deployable app.
What's the Workflow?
Create a New SBT Project
Start by creating a new SBT project using the CLI. This will generate a new directory with default files and directories to help you get started.
Define Sources and/or Seeds
In your project, define the data sources or seeds that your app will utilize.
Write Model Code + Config
Develop Python and/or SQL models to process the data and produce outputs. Models can reference each other, and SBT will automatically parse the dependency tree among your models.
Run and Validate Model Code
Use CLI commands to run your model code and validate that the data outputs match your expectations.
Build Sigma Dashboard
Create a Sigma dashboard to curate analytics and data visualizations based on your model outputs.
Create App Config Bundle
Develop an app spec config to bundle models and the associated Sigma dashboard. SBT will automatically build a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) of your models.
Publish App to Insight Cloud
Use the CLI to publish your app to Insight Cloud. The system will validate your app to ensure it is safe to run in the cloud. Upon successful validation, a new version of the app will be registered.
Configure App for App Store or Private Use
Through the publisher portal, decide whether your app should be available in the App Store or distributed privately. You can also configure metadata about the app, such as descriptions, screenshots, and FAQs.
What's Next?
- Dive into the Quickstart Guide to start building your first app.
- Learn about Insight Cloud to understand the platform where your app will be deployed. This will help you grasp the tools your users will have access to and how they can interact with your app.
- Interested in building apps but unsure where to start? Reach out to Insight Labs for app development services. We can help you build your first app or provide guidance on how to build your own.