The problem:
- Data models (dbt, SQL, warehouses) often grow into a tangled mess of tables, joins, and undocumented assumptions. - Lineage is either scattered across tools or missing entirely. - Documentation is usually an afterthought (and gets outdated fast).
Datadef.io aims to fix that by providing:
- Interactive canvas to map tables, relationships, and indicators. - Automatic lineage visualization to trace dependencies. - Metadata management: define table/column-level details, ownership, and KPIs. - AI-generated documentation that stays in sync with your models. - Export/share features so asset managers, analysts, and other teams don’t get lost in spreadsheets or PDFs.
It’s still early, and I’d love feedback from the HN community. In particular:
What’s missing for you in lineage/metadata/documentation tools?
How would you want to integrate a tool like this into your workflow (dbt, Databricks, Power BI, etc.)?
I’d really appreciate your thoughts, feature requests, and criticism.
Thanks!
jackvalentine•4mo ago
theolouvart•4mo ago
jackvalentine•4mo ago
As someone who is actually in the process of procuring something like Informatica/Alation I was really keen to have a play with your tool. As described it sounds like a good starting point for some of our less capable teams.
I REALLY struggled to make lineage work though. Is there some kind of trick?
Also while logged in (used google in the end) I couldn’t go back to the front splash page - it kept just showing me my project page. I wanted to go back and look at the marketing!
theolouvart•4mo ago
Lineage as of now is build within each indicator. You have to select for each indicator what are the main sources for it (either indicator or whole node). Did you struggle in terms of interface, lineage computation (server side), or any other topic ? I think I should rework the way table node are made, and how users can define proper lineages within their canvas. If you have any suggestion :)
I'll also work to provide user a way to go back to the home page. If you have any feedback on how I could improve the marketing, I would welcome them with gratitude.