Running dbt Commands

Preferences

• Use MCP tools if available (dbt_build , dbt_run , dbt_show , etc.) - they handle paths, timeouts, and formatting automatically

• Use build instead of run or test

• test doesn't refresh the model, so testing a model change requires build . build does a run and a test of each node (model, seed, snapshot) in the order of the DAG

• Always use --quiet with --warn-error-options '{"error": ["NoNodesForSelectionCriteria"]}' to reduce output while catching selector typos

• Always use --select

• never run the entire project without explicit user approval

Quick Reference

Standard command pattern

dbt build --select my_model --quiet --warn-error-options '{"error": ["NoNodesForSelectionCriteria"]}'

Preview model output

dbt show --select my_model --limit 10

Run inline SQL query

dbt show --inline "select * from {{ ref('orders') }}" --limit 5

With variables (JSON format for multiple)

dbt build --select my_model --vars '{"key": "value"}'

Full refresh for incremental models

dbt build --select my_model --full-refresh

List resources before running

dbt list --select my_model+ --resource-type model

dbt CLI Flavors

Three CLIs exist. Ask the user which one if unsure.

Flavor Location Notes

dbt Core Python venv pip show dbt-core or uv pip show dbt-core

dbt Fusion ~/.local/bin/dbt or dbtf

Faster and has stronger SQL comprehension

dbt Cloud CLI ~/.local/bin/dbt

Go-based, runs on platform

Common setup: Core in venv + Fusion at ~/.local/bin . Running dbt uses Core. Use dbtf or ~/.local/bin/dbt for Fusion.

Selectors

Always provide a selector. Graph operators:

Operator Meaning Example

model+

Model and all downstream stg_orders+

+model

Model and all upstream +dim_customers

+model+

Both directions +orders+

model+N

Model and N levels downstream stg_orders+1

--select my_model # Single model --select staging.* # Path pattern --select fqn:stg_ # FQN pattern --select model_a model_b # Union (space) --select tag:x,config.mat:y # Intersection (comma) --exclude my_model # Exclude from selection

Resource type filter:

--resource-type model --resource-type test --resource-type unit_test

Valid types: model , test , unit_test , snapshot , seed , source , exposure , metric , semantic_model , saved_query , analysis

List

Use dbt list to preview what will be selected before running. Helpful for validating complex selectors.

dbt list --select my_model+ # Preview selection dbt list --select my_model+ --resource-type model # Only models dbt list --output json # JSON output dbt list --select my_model --output json --output-keys unique_id name resource_type config

Available output keys for --output json : unique_id , name , resource_type , package_name , original_file_path , path , alias , description , columns , meta , tags , config , depends_on , patch_path , schema , database , relation_name , raw_code , compiled_code , language , docs , group , access , version , fqn , refs , sources , metrics

Show

Preview data with dbt show . Use --inline for arbitrary SQL queries.

dbt show --select my_model --limit 10 dbt show --inline "select * from {{ ref('orders') }} where status = 'pending'" --limit 5

Important: Use --limit flag, not SQL LIMIT clause.

Variables

Pass as STRING, not dict. No special characters (
, \n ).

--vars 'my_var: value' # Single --vars '{"k1": "v1", "k2": 42, "k3": true}' # Multiple (JSON)

Analyzing Run Results

After a dbt command, check target/run_results.json for detailed execution info:

Quick status check

cat target/run_results.json | jq '.results[] | {node: .unique_id, status: .status, time: .execution_time}'

Find failures

cat target/run_results.json | jq '.results[] | select(.status != "success")'

Key fields:

• status : success, error, fail, skipped, warn

• execution_time : seconds spent executing

• compiled_code : rendered SQL

• adapter_response : database metadata (rows affected, bytes processed)

Defer (Skip Upstream Builds)

Reference production data instead of building upstream models:

dbt build --select my_model --defer --state prod-artifacts

Flags:

• --defer

• enable deferral to state manifest

• --state <path>

• path to manifest from previous run (e.g., production artifacts)

• --favor-state

• prefer node definitions from state even if they exist locally

dbt build --select my_model --defer --state prod-artifacts --favor-state

Static Analysis (Fusion Only)

Override SQL analysis for models with dynamic SQL or unrecognized UDFs:

dbt run --static-analysis=off dbt run --static-analysis=unsafe

Common Mistakes

Mistake Fix

Using test after model change Use build

• test doesn't refresh the model

Running without --select

Always specify what to run

Using --quiet without warn-error Add --warn-error-options '{"error": ["NoNodesForSelectionCriteria"]}'

Running dbt expecting Fusion when we are in a venv Use dbtf or ~/.local/bin/dbt

Adding LIMIT to SQL in dbt_show

Use limit parameter instead

Vars with special characters Pass as simple string, no
or \n