dbt - Transform Data with SQL

dbt (data build tool) transforms data using just SQL.

Instead of writing ETL scripts, write SELECT statements:

-- models/high_earners.sql

SELECT first_name, salary
FROM {{ ref('employees') }}
WHERE salary > 90000

dbt handles:

• Dependencies between models
• Documentation
• Testing
• Version control

Key concepts:

• Models - SQL files that become tables/views
• Sources - raw data tables
• Tests - data quality checks
• Macros - reusable SQL snippets

Used at: GitLab, Spotify, JetBlue, and most modern data teams.