External pipeline tool lineage
Airflow, Fivetran, and other external pipeline tools don't auto-push to Unity Catalog. BoltPipeline captures their column lineage from the SQL they emit.
BoltPipeline vs Unity Catalog
BoltPipeline does cross-warehouse pipeline certification + lineage; Unity Catalog does Databricks-native governance for data-at-rest. Different layers.
cross-warehouse pipeline certification + lineagevs Databricks-native governance for data-at-rest
What BoltPipeline replaces
Where BoltPipeline takes over from Unity Catalog
- nothing — Unity Catalog governs data inside Databricks runtime
What BoltPipeline complements
Where Unity Catalog stays in the stack
- Unity Catalog tags + access policies + their 'Bring Your Own Lineage' API
What BoltPipeline does NOT replace
Honest scope — what Unity Catalog still owns
- Unity Catalog access control, audit, or masking inside Databricks
Side-by-side feature matrix
BoltPipeline vs Unity Catalog on the capabilities that drive the buying decision.
| Capability | BoltPipeline | Unity Catalog |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-warehouse (Postgres + Snowflake + roadmap) | Yes | — |
| External-pipeline-tool lineage (Airflow, Fivetran) | Yes | Partial |
| Pre-deploy certification gate | Yes | — |
| Databricks-native access control | — | Yes |
| Databricks tag-based masking | — | Yes |
| Bring Your Own Lineage API | — | Yes |
| AST column lineage across systems | Yes | Partial |
Where BoltPipeline pulls ahead
Cross-warehouse beyond Databricks runtime
BoltPipeline runs across Postgres + Snowflake (+ roadmap) and emits a unified lineage graph. Unity Catalog governs only what runs inside Databricks.
Pre-deploy gate, not just runtime governance
Unity Catalog governs access at query time. BoltPipeline governs the pipeline at deploy time — the change is gated before it ships.
Frequently asked
Do I need to replace my Unity Catalog to use BoltPipeline?
No. Unity Catalog governs access, audit, and masking on data-at-rest inside Databricks — keep that. BoltPipeline adds cross-warehouse pipeline certification and lineage for everything outside the Databricks runtime.
How does BoltPipeline compare to Unity Catalog on lineage?
Unity Catalog lineage covers Databricks-internal objects and accepts external lineage via the BYOL API. BoltPipeline captures AST column lineage across Postgres + Snowflake + external pipeline tools (Airflow, Fivetran) and unifies the graph.
Can BoltPipeline and Unity Catalog run together?
Yes. Unity Catalog governs Databricks data-at-rest; BoltPipeline certifies the cross-warehouse pipeline and can push lineage into UC via the Bring Your Own Lineage API.
See it on your data.
Try BoltPipeline against your live database — your data never leaves your environment.