Domains & Data Products
Relevant source files
The following files were used as context for generating this wiki page:
Domains and Data Products represent the structural foundation for implementing a Data Mesh architecture within DataHub. These features allow organizations to shift from centralized data management to a decentralized model where individual business units (Domains) own and manage their specific data artifacts (Data Products).
The primary purpose of Domains is to organize assets by team or business unit, while Data Products group related assets for specific ownership and discovery use cases. Together, they provide a unified context graph that connects technical metadata with business accountability.
Sources: docs-website/src/learn/data-mesh.md, docs-website/static/llms.txt
Domains
Domains are decentralized business units or logical groupings that take ownership of data. They serve as the primary organizational unit for assets, allowing for explicit accountability and facilitating discovery across large organizations.
Domain Hierarchy and Organization
Domains support a hierarchical structure, allowing for "Children Domains" to exist under a parent. This enables organizations to mirror their corporate structure (e.g., a Finance Domain containing Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable sub-domains).
Sources: datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json:52-56, docs-website/src/learn/data-mesh.md
Key Metadata Tracked by Domains
Domains track the density and variety of their data practice through specific counts:
- Asset Count: The total number of datasets, dashboards, and other entities assigned to the domain.
- Data Product Count: The number of high-level consumable data artifacts managed by the domain.
Sources: datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json:71-74
Data Products
Data Products are consumable data artifacts produced and managed by a specific Domain. Unlike raw datasets, Data Products are intended to be "ready-to-use" and highly reliable, following the "Data as a Product" principle of the Data Mesh.
Relationship to Domains
Data Products are created "underneath" a Domain. This ensures that every high-value data artifact has a clear home and an owner responsible for its quality and documentation.
Sources: datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json:62-66, docs-website/src/learn/data-mesh.md
Conceptual Structure
The following diagram illustrates the relationship between Domains, Data Products, and underlying Data Assets:
The diagram shows how an organization decentralizes into Domains, which then contain Data Products or Sub-Domains, eventually mapping to individual Assets.
Sources: docs-website/src/learn/data-mesh.md, datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json
Implementation of Data Mesh Principles
DataHub implements the four core principles of Data Mesh through the Domains and Data Products features:
| Principle | DataHub Feature / Implementation |
|---|---|
| Domain Data Ownership | Domains: Assigns clear accountability by organizing data into explicit logical units. |
| Data as a Product | Data Products: Ensures artifacts are discoverable, understandable, and reliable by default. |
| Self-Service | UI-based Management: Domain teams can independently create and manage products via the DataHub interface. |
| Federated Governance | Metadata Tests & Policies: Enforces standards (ownership, documentation) across decentralized domains. |
Sources: docs-website/src/learn/data-mesh.md
UI Components and Modules
The user experience for Domains and Data Products is organized into specific React modules within the datahub-web-react application. These modules handle empty states, hierarchy navigation, and asset linking.
Domain Modules
- Child Hierarchy: Displays a top-down view of sub-domains.
- Asset Collection: Provides a curated list of assets within a domain or product, supporting dynamic filters or manual selection.
- Manage Domains Page: A centralized view for administrators to configure and browse existing domains.
Sources: datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json:23-56, docs-website/sidebars.js
Data Product Modules
- Product Overview: Lists metrics, datasets, and descriptions defined within the product context.
- Asset Linking: Facilitates the addition of assets to a Data Product, ensuring they are tagged with the parent entity's context.
Sources: datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json:44-51, datahub-web-react/src/i18n/locales/en/modules.json:62-66
Navigation and Discovery
Domains and Data Products are accessible through the primary navigation sidebar and specialized search experiences.
The sequence shows how the UI leverages the Entity Registry and backend services to navigate from high-level Domains down to specific Data Products.
Sources: docs-website/sidebars.js, datahub-web-react/README.md
Conclusion
Domains and Data Products provide the necessary abstraction layers to scale data governance in complex environments. By utilizing Domains for organizational alignment and Data Products for artifact delivery, DataHub enables a federated model that maintains high standards of data quality and discoverability without the bottlenecks of centralized management.
Sources: docs-website/src/learn/data-mesh.md