What is dbt (data build tool)?
Data build tool, also known as dbt, is an open-source command line tool that enables data analysts and engineers to transform data in their warehouse more effectively. With dbt, analysts are empowered to:
- Write maintainable, modular, reusable SQL code that can be shared with colleagues
- Run tests on their models to detect regressions
- Generate a rich, interactive data documentation site for their warehouse
dbt was built for the small minority of analysts who write SQL every day. It doesn't matter whether you're at a large company or a startup — if you're writing SQL and are tired of spaghetti code or copy-paste-and-modify programming, dbt is an essential tool for you.
dbt enables data analysts and engineers to transform their raw data into a clean, performant, and documented set of analytics.
What are the components of dbt?
dbt consists of three main components:
1. a library of models, which are SQL queries that are parameterized, versioned, tested, and documented;
2. an execution engine, which allows you to execute models with different parameters; and
3. a CLI, which allows you to orchestrate the execution of your models.
Who is dbt built for?
dbt was built for the following people:
Data analysts who want their work to be more reproducible and collaborative.
Data engineers who need to manage the complexity of large-scale analytics pipelines.
How does dbt help data engineers?
dbt helps data engineers:
- Write maintainable, modular SQL code
- Schedule transformations to run at regular intervals
- Test your models using automated assertions
- Profile data to understand its characteristics
- Collaborate with other analysts and engineers in your team