DataHub Basics: Users, Groups, Authentication

DataHub’s YouTube channel released a “101” beginners’ guide this week, focussed on (manual) handling of authentication protocols for teams implementing the app. Single-SignOn is referenced as one of the two ways to authenticate users; the others JAAS (“Jazz”).

The audio (and subtitles) cut out briefly between 3m48s-3m52s during discussion of SSO capabilities and whether a user becomes automatically logged in on first visit.

Beyond these features 2021 has been a fascinating year for spectators of DataHub’s rapid evolution. The list of integrations added this year is long and impressive. As a window into the challenges & lessons learned along the way, in their 2021 In Review they discuss contributions to the open source repositories; these are neatly packaged in some insightful visuals:

Feeling inspired to contribute in 2022? Pick an issue to tackle, and join in one of the upcoming or past community events.

My favourite new feature from 2021 was the new Feature Requests page published in the demo environment at feature-requests.datahubproject.io. A criticism of many data catalogues is roadmap opacity, and it’s fantastic to see these developers being so open about theirs. Inviting feature suggestions from users as part of the ideation process, is a hallmark of smart startups; for an inspirational example of how it’s been managed effectively elsewhere, see Airtable’s: community.airtable.com/c/show-and-tell/product-suggestions/15