Data integration is the process of consolidating data from different sources. Analysis, reporting, and forecasting are just a few of the tasks that frequently require data integration.

Application integration, ETL/ELT, and data integration are frequently conflated terms. Despite their apparent resemblance, the three words have significant differences.

Data integration is the process through which information from several sources is combined and sent to one central destination, sometimes a data warehouse. The final destination must be adaptable enough to handle a wide variety of data types at possibly high quantities. Integration of data is essential for supporting analytical use cases.

To keep several programs in sync, application integration entails the transfer of data back and forth between them. Each application often emits and takes data in a certain fashion, and this data flows in smaller amounts. The best way to fuel operational use cases is through application integration.