Get started with the PDI client

PDI client (also known as Spoon) is a desktop application that enables you to build transformations and schedule and run jobs.

Common uses of PDI client include:

• Data migration between different databases and applications

• Loading huge data sets into databases taking full advantage of cloud, clustered and massively parallel processing environments

• Data cleansing with steps ranging from very simple to very complex transformations

• Data integration including the ability to leverage real-time ETL as a data source for Pentaho Reporting

• Data warehouse population with built-in support for slowly changing dimensions and surrogate key creation (as described above)

To get started with Pentaho Data Integration, see the following topics:

• Starting the PDI client

• Use the PDI client perspectives

• Customize the PDI client