Which Power BI component is primarily used for data preparation?

Power Query is the primary component in Power BI used for data preparation. Its main function is to connect to various data sources, transform, and clean the data before it is imported into Power BI for analysis and reporting. With Power Query, users can perform a wide range of data transformation tasks, such as filtering rows, modifying column types, merging tables, and aggregating data. This capability allows users to shape their datasets to meet the specific needs of their analysis.

The other components serve different purposes within Power BI. Power BI Desktop is the overall application that includes various tools, including Power Query, but is not solely focused on data preparation. Power Pivot is designed for creating data models and performing calculations with data, while Power View is a data visualization tool used to create interactive reports and dashboards. Thus, while they are all essential parts of the Power BI ecosystem, Power Query specifically excels in the data preparation process, making it the correct choice for this question.