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dbt

Back to DuckDB Data Engineering Glossary

dbt (data build tool) is an open-source command-line tool that enables data analysts and engineers to transform data in their warehouses more effectively. It allows users to write modular SQL queries, which can be version-controlled, tested, and documented. dbt introduces software engineering best practices to data transformation workflows, including modularity, portability, CI/CD, and documentation. By defining data models as SELECT statements, dbt compiles these into tables or views in the target data warehouse. It supports a wide range of data platforms, including Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift. dbt also provides features like data lineage visualization, data quality tests, and the ability to generate documentation automatically. This tool has become a crucial component in many modern data stacks, bridging the gap between raw data and analytics-ready datasets.