Data Modeling & Transformation Flashcards

Which node selection syntax runs a model and all of its upstream parents?

Answer: +my_model

A plus before the name selects ancestors; after it selects descendants.

What does `dbt run --select tag:nightly` select?

Answer: Models with the nightly tag

The tag: method selects resources with that tag in config.

Which command shows the compiled SQL without executing it against the warehouse as a model build?

Answer: dbt compile

dbt compile renders Jinja into SQL in target/compiled without materializing.

Which generic test ensures every value in a column exists in another model's column?

Answer: relationships

relationships validates referential integrity between a column and a parent model.

Where do you document a model and its columns for the dbt docs site?

Answer: In a YAML properties file using description fields

Descriptions are defined in YAML files and can also use doc blocks.

What is a singular test in dbt?

Answer: A custom SQL file in tests/ that returns failing rows

Singular tests are SQL queries in the tests directory; any returned rows count as failures.

What does the `dbt_utils.generate_surrogate_key` macro produce?

Answer: A hashed key from a list of columns

It hashes the combined columns into a consistent surrogate key string.