What is the difference between Dataflow, Dataflow Gen2, and Datamarts?

[Dhairya]

In Fabric, we are offered Dataflow Gen2 and Datamarts, We can say that Dataflow Gen 2 is the enhanced version of Dataflow so now we can do everything that we were doing in  Dataflow (correct me if I'm wrong) then what will be the significance of Dataflow and where it will be used?

Similarly, we can perform all transformations in Datamart so how does it differ from Dataflow Gen2 in terms of use?

Also as per my knowledge, we can perform everything in the semantic model that we can do in Datamarts so what is the significance of Datamarts?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dhairya ,

Dataflow Gen2 is indeed an enhancement over the original Dataflow. One of the key improvements is the ability to separate your Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) logic from the destination storage, providing more flexibility. Gen2 also comes with a more streamlined authoring experience and improved performance.

For a more detailed comparison, you can refer to this link:

Differences between Dataflow Gen1 and Dataflow Gen2 - Microsoft Fabric | Microsoft Learn

Datamart primarily utilizes data streaming technology to import data into Azure SQL Server.Datamart then automatically generates and links datasets. You can then actually create data streams that connect to the Datamart, which can be used for DirectQuery or import if the Advanced Compute Engine is enabled.

For a more detailed comparison, you can refer to this link:

Introduction to datamarts - Power BI | Microsoft Learn

Best Regards,

Xianda Tang

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