Enddatei

Enddatei is a term primarily found in German-language technical documentation to describe a file that signals the end of a data sequence, dataset, or processing job. It is not a formal standard in computing, and its specific meaning can vary between systems or organizations.

In practice, an enddatei acts as a sentinel or flag that informs a consumer process to stop reading data, finalize processing, or transition to a new state. It may accompany data files in batch transfers, be used in ETL pipelines, or serve in logging or auditing routines to indicate completion.

Implementation patterns for an enddatei include a dedicated empty file named enddatei, a file that contains a specific terminator string, or a metadata record within a data package. Some systems monitor for the presence of the enddatei, while others check for a termination token or the absence of new data after a defined interval.

Reliability considerations include ensuring the enddatei is created atomically after data transfer, using unique names, and optionally including timestamps or checksums. In distributed or multi-process environments, proper coordination is needed to avoid premature termination or missed data, and strategies like signaling, confirmation messages, or redundant indicators may be employed.

See also: End-of-file (EOF), sentinel value, flag file, marker file, batch processing.