I. Why a data platform?
A recurring R script becomes a platform concern when other people start depending on its output. This part builds the vocabulary for that transition without introducing infrastructure first.
You will distinguish a data frame from a delivery, a delivery from a data product, and a logical product definition from its physical storage. The goal is a small mental model that remains useful when later chapters add contracts, quality, lineage, catalogs, and release history.
You should be able to explain why DataRaft exists, name the core product lifecycle, and describe how the package family separates responsibilities.
Keep the recurring insurance example in mind. The first question is not where a policy table lives. The first question is what downstream users are allowed to expect from it.