Using the WHERE clause in a BigQuery view serves the main purpose of filtering records specific to user needs. This clause allows users to specify conditions that must be met for records to be included in the view's result set.
When a view is created with a WHERE clause, it selectively includes only those rows from the underlying dataset that meet the specified criteria. This tailored approach helps in efficiently retrieving relevant data, which can enhance performance by reducing the volume of records that need to be processed in subsequent queries.
Filtering is particularly beneficial in scenarios where users may need to focus on a specific subset of data, such as records from a particular time frame, specific geographical areas, or other criteria pertinent to the analysis being performed. By allowing users to define these conditions, the WHERE clause significantly improves the usability and specificity of data queries in BigQuery.