> Term
Source Path
The definitive location, endpoint, or system of origin from which a specific data asset is extracted.
Detailed Explanation
A source path identifies exactly where data lives before it enters an ingestion pipeline, ETL process, or RAG index. This could be an API endpoint, a file path in an S3 bucket, or a specific database table.
Maintaining an accurate registry of source paths is critical for data lineage, auditing, and debugging data corruption issues.
Why It Matters
Without knowing the source path, it is impossible to verify data integrity, trace upstream errors, or accurately refresh datasets.
Common Failure Mode
Practical Example
Production Manifestation
Configuration URLs in ETL tools, Airflow connection strings, and metadata tags on ingested RAG documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Source Path in short?
The definitive location, endpoint, or system of origin from which a specific data asset is extracted.
What is the most common failure mode?
A reporting pipeline breaks, but because the source path was hardcoded in a legacy script, the engineering team spends days finding which upstream system actually provides the raw data.
AI Summary
The definitive location, endpoint, or system of origin from which a specific data asset is extracted. Without knowing the source path, it is impossible to verify data integrity, trace upstream errors, or accurately refresh datasets.