edit history

A chronological record of all modifications applied to a digital asset.

  • In the context of the Lightroom catalog system:
    • The history functions as a “cookbook” (metadata/instructions) rather than a modification of the original pixels.
    • The Lightroom catalog system stores these instructions in a database to apply changes to photos without containing the actual image files themselves.
    • This allows for non-destructive editing by keeping the recipe (the edit history) separate from the ingredients (the source photos).

Backlink: 2026 04 14 Lightroom catalog system

Source Notes