What role does versioning play in data integrity?

Versioning plays a critical role in maintaining data integrity by allowing for recovery of previous data states. This capability ensures that if data is altered or corrupted, users can revert to an earlier version of the dataset. It is essential for tracking changes over time and understanding the evolution of the data, which is particularly important in scenarios where data sources are continuously updated or modified.

By enabling users to restore previous states, versioning safeguards against unintended changes, whether due to user error or system failures. This recovery aspect is vital in ensuring that the integrity of the data is maintained, as it provides a fallback option to preserve the accuracy and reliability of the information.

This understanding of versioning is crucial in the context of database management and data governance, where maintaining the integrity and validity of data over time is paramount. The other options address aspects that do not directly relate to how versioning upholds data integrity.