datasetId

In data management, datasetId refers to a unique identifier assigned to a dataset within a repository, catalog, data lake, or API. It serves as a stable reference that distinguishes a dataset from other datasets, independent of its human-friendly dataset name or description. The identifier is typically scoped to a namespace or catalog, ensuring reliable cross-system referencing and preventing collisions across datasets.

Common representations include simple alphanumeric strings, hierarchical forms like project.dataset or catalog/dataset, and formal identifiers such as UUIDs, URIs, or DOIs. Some systems encode provenance or version information in the identifier, while others treat the datasetId as a constant that remains fixed across versions with a separate version field or tag.

Dataset identifiers are used by APIs and queries to fetch metadata or data, and they appear in data catalogs, governance tools, and lineage graphs. They interact with metadata such as dataset name, description, schema, data owner, access policies, and licensing. Proper governance requires stable datasetIds, clear naming conventions, documented scope, and depreciation policies for deprecated datasets or renamed catalogs.

Best practices include enforcing uniqueness within a namespace, validating format at creation, and maintaining mapping when moving datasets between catalogs. In multi-system environments, datasetId mapping and resolvability via URIs or registries are important to ensure consistent references across tools and workflows.