# The definition of real-time data

DevFeed: [The definition of real-time data](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-definition-of-real-time-data-18471.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.tinybird.co/blog/definition-of-real-time-data>)

Author: Alasdair Brown

Published: 2022-07-29T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Tinybird](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/tinybird.md>)

Topics: [real-time](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/real-time.md>), [data](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data.md>)

Tags: [data](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data.md>), [real-time](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/real-time.md>), [scalable-analytics-architecture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/scalable-analytics-architecture.md>)

## AI overview

The article discusses the difficulty of defining real-time data precisely and introduces a metaphor to explain the concept.

## Source excerpt

What is real-time data? A precise definition is elusive. In this case, a metaphor helps.