---
title: "UpStep (@upstep) | Hashnode"
description: "Sharing AI and Data news, tips and tools. Read the latest articles by UpStep on Hashnode."
url: "https://hashnode.com/@upstep"
---

@upstep

# UpStep

@upstep · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · Joined September 2026

Sharing AI and Data news, tips and tools

### [Does This ETL Job Really Need Spark?](https://upstepasia.hashnode.dev/does-this-etl-job-really-need-spark?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

Compare DuckDB and Spark for ETL. Learn workload trade-offs, AWS Glue considerations, and a practical project to test performance and correctness.

8 min read · [upstepasia.hashnode.dev](https://upstepasia.hashnode.dev/does-this-etl-job-really-need-spark?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[Oct 10](https://hashnode.com/posts/does-this-etl-job-really-need-spark/6ac9d51fdfa98dbccdee760d)

### [Is the Cheaper AI Model Good Enough? How to Make an Engineering Decision](https://upstepasia.hashnode.dev/is-the-cheaper-ai-model-good-enough-how-to-make-an-engineering-decision?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

Compare AI models on quality, cost and critical errors. Learn evaluation basics with Snowflake’s previews and a practical support-ticket project.

9 min read · [upstepasia.hashnode.dev](https://upstepasia.hashnode.dev/is-the-cheaper-ai-model-good-enough-how-to-make-an-engineering-decision?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[Sep 24](https://hashnode.com/posts/is-the-cheaper-ai-model-good-enough-how-to-make-an-engineering-decision/6ab50ee3ab6eb945440ece44)