Lookup vs Joiner Transformation in Informatica PowerCenter

Lookup Transformation:

• The lookup transformation is used to look up data in a relational table or flat file.
• It is used to search for a value in a specified source and return a corresponding value.
• Lookup transformation can handle both connected and unconnected lookup scenarios.

Joiner Transformation:

• The joiner transformation is used to join data from two heterogeneous sources.
• It combines rows from two or more sources based on a condition defined in the transformation.
• Joiner transformation can perform inner, outer, left outer, and right outer joins.

When to Use Lookup vs Joiner:

• Use Lookup Transformation when you need to search for a value in a table or file and retrieve a related value.
• Use Joiner Transformation when you need to combine data from multiple sources based on a join condition.
• If you have a small reference dataset and need to perform lookup operations, go for the Lookup Transformation.
• If you have large datasets and need to join them based on a common key, opt for the Joiner Transformation.

Overall, the choice between Lookup and Joiner Transformation depends on the specific requirements of your mapping and the nature of the data integration task at hand.