FAQ

Why “datum”?

Datum is the singular form of “data” - fitting for a tool that manages individual data sources.

How is this different from downloading files manually?

Datum provides:

  • Automated verification
  • Cryptographic fingerprints
  • Policy-based handling of changes
  • Single configuration file for all data sources
  • Reproducibility for your entire data pipeline

Can I use this in CI/CD?

Yes! Use datum check in your CI pipeline to verify that external data hasn’t changed unexpectedly.

What happens if my policy is “fail” and data changes?

The check command will exit with code 1, and you’ll see which datasets have changed. You can then:

  1. Investigate why the data changed
  2. Run datum fetch <dataset-id> to update specific datasets
  3. Commit the updated lockfile

How do I version control the lockfile?

Yes, commit both .data.yaml and .data.lock.yaml to version control. This ensures:

  • Team members have the same data versions
  • Historical record of when data changed
  • Reproducible builds

Didn’t find your answer? Open an issue on GitHub.