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Data Engineering

Data Lineage Explorer

Visualize how tables depend on each other across complex SQL and T-SQL scripts.

Upload a SQL file to analyze lineage across INSERT/CREATE VIEW statements.
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Lineage Graph
Table Details
Click a table node to view its upstream and downstream dependencies.

See how data actually flows between your tables

A foreign key diagram shows structure, but it doesn't show which tables feed which through ETL, stored procedures, or reporting views. Data Lineage Explorer parses INSERT...SELECT, SELECT INTO, JOIN, and CTE clauses across your script to build a real upstream/downstream dependency graph.

How it works

  • Source detection: Every INSERT INTO ... SELECT FROM and SELECT INTO statement becomes a directed edge from source table to target table.
  • Join awareness: Tables referenced in JOIN clauses within a query are captured as contributing sources.
  • CTE handling: Common Table Expressions are resolved so their underlying base tables appear in the graph, not just the CTE alias.
  • T-SQL support: SQL Server script exports (including UTF-16 encoded files) are decoded automatically.

Common use cases

Impact analysis

Before changing a table, see every downstream table or view that depends on it.

Auditing ETL scripts

Paste a legacy T-SQL ETL job and get an instant visual map of its data flow.

Debugging stale data

Trace a reporting table backward to find which upstream source stopped updating.

Live database lineage

Connect your active database to see lineage for the real, current schema.

FAQ

What counts as a dependency? Any table referenced in an INSERT...SELECT, SELECT INTO, JOIN, or CTE that feeds data into another table or view is captured as an upstream/downstream edge.

Does it support T-SQL scripts? Yes — including SQL Server's UTF-16 script exports, which are decoded automatically.

Can I use my live database instead of a script? Yes — switch to "Use Active DB" if you're logged in with a saved database connection.

Is this the same as a schema diagram? No. Schema Explorer shows structural foreign-key relationships; Data Lineage shows which tables' data flows into which other tables through queries.

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