dbt
The T in ELT.
Overview
dbt (data build tool) is an open-source command-line tool that helps analysts and engineers transform data in their data warehouse using SQL. It allows you to write modular SQL queries, and it handles the dependency management, testing, and documentation of your data transformation workflows. dbt Labs also offers a managed cloud service, dbt Cloud.
✨ Key Features
- SQL-based data transformation
- Modular and reusable data models
- Automated dependency management
- Data testing and documentation
- Version control with Git
- Open-source CLI and managed cloud service
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Focus on the transformation layer of the modern data stack
- Empowers analytics engineers with software engineering best practices
- Strong open-source community and ecosystem
Unique Value: dbt brings software engineering best practices to analytics, enabling data teams to build and maintain reliable, high-quality data transformation pipelines.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Analytics engineering for the modern data stack
- Data modeling and transformation in Snowflake and BigQuery
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Data extraction and loading (the 'E' and 'L' in ELT)
- Organizations that do not use a SQL-based data warehouse
🏆 Alternatives
Compared to visual ETL tools, dbt provides a more flexible and powerful code-based approach to data transformation. Its focus on testing and documentation also leads to more robust and maintainable data models.
💻 Platforms
✅ Offline Mode Available
🔌 Integrations
🛟 Support Options
- ✓ Email Support
- ✓ Live Chat
- ✓ Dedicated Support (Enterprise tier)
🔒 Compliance & Security
💰 Pricing
✓ 14-day free trial
Free tier: dbt Core (CLI) is free and open-source. dbt Cloud has a free developer tier.
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