In the context of a data pipeline, a sink refers to the final destination where the processed data is sent or stored. It's the endpoint in the pipeline where the data arrives after passing through various stages of transformation, processing, or enrichment.
Regarding whether it's used by default, it depends on the specific data pipeline tool or platform you're using. For example, in Azure Data Factory, every data flow requires at least one sink transformation.
As for when to turn it on or off, it's generally always "on" because you need a destination for your processed data. However, you might configure multiple sinks or switch between different sinks based on your specific use case or the requirements of your data processing workflow.
Does this help clarify things for you?