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What is a data pipeline?

data pipeline explained what is data pipeline automated data collection etl pipeline data warehouse pipeline

Quick Answer

A data pipeline is an automated system that extracts raw data from sources (databases, APIs, tracking tools), transforms it (cleaning, formatting, deduplicating, validating), and loads it into a destination like a data warehouse for analysis. Think of it like plumbing: data flows continuously from collection points to storage without manual intervention. Pipelines replace the manual process of exporting CSVs and copying between spreadsheets, enabling real-time insights at any data volume.

Full Answer

A data pipeline is automated infrastructure that continuously moves data from sources (your website, WooCommerce store, ad platforms) to destinations (data warehouses, analytics tools) without human intervention. It's the difference between hauling water buckets manually (CSV exports) and building plumbing that flows forever. The Core Components 1. Data Capture (Source) What generates events:

  • WooCommerce: Product views, add-to-cart, checkout, purchase
  • WordPress: Page views, form submissions, user registrations
  • Ad platforms: Click data, impression counts, spend metrics
  • Email tools: Opens, clicks, unsubscribes Client-side capture (traditional): JavaScript runs in browser, fires tracking tags, sends events to platforms. Ad blockers (30-40% of users) prevent execution = data loss. Server-side capture (pipeline-ready): Server code executes on page load, form submission, purchase completion. Runs before browser loads = unblockable, complete data. 2. Data Transport (Pipeline) Automated system that sends captured events to destination: Real-time streaming: Event happens → Pipeline immediately sends to warehouse...

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Cherry Tree by Seresa - https://seresa.io/seed/data-ownership-ai/_archive-data-pipeline-explained