dbt Example: Build Reliable SQL Models

dbt Example: Build Reliable SQL Models

A dbt example shows how to turn raw warehouse tables into clean, tested, and documented models using SQL and the dbt CLI or Cloud.

What Is a dbt Example?

A dbt example is a sample project directory containing SQL models, YAML tests, and documentation that demonstrate dbt’s extract-load-transform workflow.

Why Use a dbt Example Project?

Starting with a working example removes boilerplate, shows directory conventions, and speeds onboarding for data engineers new to dbt.

How Does a Typical dbt Example Work?

dbt compiles your model SQL into raw SQL, runs it against the warehouse, executes tests, and generates docs, all orchestrated by a single dbt run command.

What Files Appear in a dbt Example?

Key files include models/ for SQL, tests/ for assertions, dbt_project.yml for config, and a profiles.yml connection profile.

Which Warehouses Work With dbt Examples?

dbt supports Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Postgres, Databricks, and others, letting the same example run across environments.

How Do I Run a dbt Example?

Clone the repo, set up profiles.yml with warehouse creds, then run dbt deps && dbt seed && dbt run to materialize models.

What Does a Model SQL File Look Like?

The model file contains a SELECT statement referencing source tables and applying transformations like joins, filters, and calculations.

Code Example: orders_enriched.sql

-- models/orders_enriched.sql
with orders as (
select * from {{ ref('stg_orders') }}
),
customers as (
select * from {{ ref('stg_customers') }}
)
select
o.order_id,
o.order_date,
c.customer_name,
o.amount_usd
from orders o
join customers c on o.customer_id = c.customer_id


How Do Tests Work in a dbt Example?

YAML tests like unique and not_null are defined in a companion YAML file and executed with dbt test.

Can I Document Models in a dbt Example?

Yes—add descriptions in YAML, run dbt docs generate, and view them in an auto-generated site.

How Does Galaxy Accelerate dbt Examples?

Galaxy’s lightning-fast SQL editor autocompletes ref()s, lets you chat with your database, and share verified dbt model queries in team Collections.

Best Practices for Crafting dbt Examples

Keep models atomic, test critical columns, name models consistently, and use version control to review SQL changes.

Common Real-World Use Case

Teams migrate legacy ETL to dbt by first reproducing one revenue model as a dbt example, validating results, then scaling patterns across domains.

Advanced Tips for dbt Examples

Leverage macros for reusable logic, adopt incremental models for large tables, and schedule runs in Airflow or Galaxy workflows (roadmap).

Key Takeaways

dbt examples provide a fast path to production-grade SQL models with tests and docs; tools like Galaxy enhance the workflow with AI and collaboration.