Create a dbt Project

Learn how to create a dbt project in your Git repository.

Create new Git repository

Create a new repository for your new dbt project using your Git provider.

Set up a basic dbt project

1. Open a terminal window.

2. Ensure that you have dbt installed on your computer by running the dbt --version command.

3. Run the dbt init my_git_repo_name command to create your starter dbt project.

4. Open your source code editor.

5. Open the newly created dbt project.

   Your dbt project cannot exceed 1 GB in size.

Connect dbt Core to destination

You'll use the profiles.yml file to connect dbt to your destination. The file specifies which destination you're connecting to, the credentials to access that destination, and the schema that dbt Core will load your transformed data into. Learn more in dbt Labs' Configuring your profile documentation.

The profiles.yml file you'll configure in this step is generally used for local development and testing purposes. Once Fivetran begins to run your dbt commands, we generate the production version of the profiles.yml file for your dbt project that you cannot view or edit.

1. Open the profiles.yml file that was automatically created as part of your dbt installation.

   profiles.yml is a hidden file. It is created in your ~/.dbt folder, not in the dbt project.

2. Set up your profiles.yml file to enable dbt Core to connect to your destination. How you configure this file differs based on your destination. See dbt Labs' Data platform connections documentation for setup instructions for your destination.

   For additional help, see dbt Labs' profiles.yml documentation.

3. Be sure that the profile name in your dbt_project.yml file matches the profile name in your profiles.yml file.

   The profile names only need to match for testing purposes. Once Fivetran begins to run your dbt commands, we ignore the profile name in your dbt_project.yml file.

4. Run the dbt run command. If you have successfully linked your destination, you will see a Completed successfully message.

Link dbt project to Git repository

1. In a terminal window, ensure that you are in the directory of your new dbt project.

2. Run the following commands. Replace the example URL https://github.com/USERNAME/dbt-tutorial.git with the URL of your Git repository.

   git init -b main
   git add .
   git commit -m ‘add your commit message here’
   git remote add origin https://github.com/USERNAME/dbt-tutorial.git
   git push -u origin main
   

3. Open your Git repository to view your new dbt project.

4. Proceed to the Transformations for dbt Core setup guide to connect your dbt project to Fivetran.