DataTerminology.comNEW
An open-source metadata platform for data discovery, lineage, quality, governance, and collaboration across data ecosystems.
DESCRIPTION
OpenMetadata centralizes technical and business metadata to enable discovery, lineage visualization, quality checks, and governance workflows. It integrates with data warehouses, lakes, BI tools, and orchestration systems. Features include a data catalog, ownership, tags, glossary, policies, and observability. OpenMetadata provides APIs and connectors to unify metadata across platforms and supports collaboration among stewards and engineers. It aims to be a standard interface for metadata across modern data stacks.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
OpenMetadata
OpenMetadata is an open-source metadata management platform for data discovery, data lineage, data quality, and governance.
Highlights end-to-end metadata capabilities in one platform.
OpenMetadata GitHub
OpenMetadata is an end-to-end metadata solution that includes a data catalog, lineage, quality, and governance features.
Positions OpenMetadata as a comprehensive solution with extensible integrations.
Astronomer
OpenMetadata is a centralized metadata service that integrates with Airflow to catalog and govern data pipelines.
Describes integration with orchestration for pipeline metadata.
RELATED TERMS
Data Discovery Platform Metadata Management Lineage Governance Data Quality Data Glossary OpenLineage
COMPETING TERMS
Data Sharing Hub Amundsen Collibra
RELATIONS
- Conforms to: OpenLineage
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Metadata Management Data Governance Data Management Data Engineering Platform & Tooling
TARGET AUDIENCE
Data Steward Data Engineer Data Architect BI Specialist Data Governance Manager MLOps Engineer
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- OpenMetadata - Official product overview
- OpenMetadata - Source code and README
- Astronomer - Airflow integration guide
TOP QUESTIONS
Why adopt OpenMetadata in a modern data stack?
It unifies discovery, lineage, quality, and governance, reducing fragmentation and enabling collaboration across teams and platforms.
Category: Relevancy
What distinguishes OpenMetadata from DataHub?
Both are open-source, but differ in architecture, connectors, UI, and governance features. Selection depends on ecosystem fit and requirements.
Category: Distinction
How does OpenMetadata integrate with pipelines?
Via connectors and APIs, capturing lineage from orchestration tools, warehouses, and BI platforms for end-to-end observability.
Category: Application
What roles benefit most from OpenMetadata?
Data stewards, engineers, and analysts use catalogs, lineage graphs, and quality dashboards to manage and trust data.
Category: Collaboration
What are common mistakes when deploying OpenMetadata?
Skipping metadata ownership, poor glossary governance, and not automating lineage extraction can limit adoption and trust.
Category: Mistakes
What are implementation requirements?
Provision the service, configure connectors, define governance policies, and onboard teams with clear ownership and workflows.
Category: Requirements
What risks should be considered?
Metadata sprawl, integration complexity, and privacy concerns if sensitive details are cataloged without proper controls.
Category: Risk
How is OpenMetadata secured?
Role-based access, audit logs, and integration with identity providers help protect metadata and enforce governance policies.
Category: Governance
Where to start learning OpenMetadata?
Use official docs, try the demo environment, and connect a warehouse or BI tool to explore lineage and catalog features.
Category: Learning