data:processing:pipeline

About

A pipeline is a finite or infinite automata known as a stream) where:

the data
transition (pipe)
from one state to another
via a series of transformations (work)

A pipeline creates a composition relationship.

A pipeline is also known as:

Compose
Chain (for instance Chain of command) - Daisy Chain ;)

Pipeline follows a compositional structure known as cascade of operations.

Flow vs Pipeline

A dataflow (data workflow) is:

a directed graph structure (loop may be present)
of pipeline (ie the nodes are pipelines)

Model

A pipeline is a combination of:

an input source
an output destination.
and a sequence of data (that may be a byte of an object). In the general sense, it's called a message.
that may be chained to form a pipeline

Type

Imperative

The pipeline is executed step by step

Declarative

The pipeline is executed only when the terminal operation is called.

All steps are building a composite type known as algebraic data type.

Example

Shell

In an OS Shell (Dos, bash), a serie of command connected by the pipe operators forms a pipeline. See Shell Data Processing - Pipeline

Code

By returning the calling object from a function, you can compose (or chain) functions. See Design Pattern - (Object) Builder. When we compose (chain) an operation, the output of one operation becomes the input for the next operation, and operations are applied from left to right.