1.3. The Data Lifecycle Model

💡 First Principle: Data flows through predictable stages, and each stage has specialized services. Understanding this flow helps you identify which service handles which job. No single service does everything well—that's why we chain specialists together.

Think of it like a factory assembly line: raw materials enter (ingestion), get processed at stations (transformation), stored in warehouses (data lakes), and delivered as finished products (reports). Each station is optimized for one job.