Which diagram is used to illustrate data flow in a data pipeline?

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Mapping how data moves through a system or data pipeline is essential for understanding data lineage and processing steps. A Data Flow Diagram uses symbols to show data sources, processing steps, data stores, and the routes data takes between them. This makes it ideal for illustrating a data pipeline, where data is ingested, transformed, stored, and consumed by various components. The arrows represent data flows, helping you visualize dependencies and potential bottlenecks. In contrast, a flowchart centers on the sequence of actions in a process, not the movement of data between systems; a Gantt chart focuses on timing and project milestones; an Entity-Relationship Diagram captures data structures and relationships rather than how data moves. Therefore, the diagram that best illustrates data flow in a data pipeline is the Data Flow Diagram.