dataonly

Dataonly, sometimes written as data-only, is a term used in computing to describe modes or options that limit an operation to the core data payload, omitting additional metadata, schemas, or interface elements. Because it is not standardized, its exact meaning depends on the platform or tool. In practice, dataonly denotes a streamlined workflow focused on data values rather than structural or contextual information.

In databases and data transfer, data-only configurations often involve moving or applying only the row data. Data-only replication may exclude DDL statements and schema changes, while data-only backups capture data files without full metadata. ETL processes labeled data-only usually extract and load records with minimal accompanying metadata, leaving schema or provenance information to separate processes.

In APIs and data interchange, data-only can refer to responses that return the resource payload without hypermedia links, pagination controls, or additional metadata. CSV exports are commonly described as data-only, since they consist of rows of values without embedded schemas, whereas formats like JSON or XML may carry explicit schema or annotations if configured.

Because dataonly is context dependent, its use can lead to omissions that affect validation, governance, or compatibility. Users should verify precisely what is included and excluded in a given implementation and ensure that downstream systems can interpret the data correctly without missing metadata. See also data payload, full export, schema.