The primary function of a data lake is to store large volumes of raw data in its native format. Unlike traditional databases, data lakes can accommodate structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, enabling organizations to retain a wealth of information without predefining schema. This flexibility supports various data processing and analytics scenarios, allowing users to conduct big data analytics, machine learning, and other data-intensive tasks. By centralizing data, a data lake facilitates improved data accessibility and insights, often helping organizations drive better decision-making.