The text discusses the concept of data lineage, which is the metadata that traces the flow and transformation of data within data pipelines, crucial for ensuring data quality, security, and compliance. It highlights the importance of data lineage in understanding and managing complex data ecosystems, facilitating data provenance, and ensuring regulatory compliance. The text introduces OpenLineage, an open-source framework that provides a standardized approach to lineage collection across different platforms, making it easier to track data movement and transformations. The OpenLineage core model uses a JSON Schema to define key types of lineage metadata, such as datasets, jobs, and runs, allowing for extensibility through customizable facets. The text also illustrates how lineage data is collected, stored, and visualized in a typical data platform, emphasizing the role of OpenLineage in enhancing data observability and interoperability in data pipelines.