dbt-codegen

Macros that generate dbt code, and log it to the command line.

Contents

• generate_source
• generate_base_model
• generate_model_yaml

Installation instructions

New to dbt packages? Read more about them here.

1. Include this package in your packages.yml file — check here for the latest version number.
2. Run dbt deps to install the package.

Macros

generate_source (source)

This macro generates lightweight YAML for a Source, which you can then paste into a schema file.

Arguments

• schema_name (required): The schema name that contains your source data
• database_name (optional, default=target.database): The database that your source data is in.
• table_names (optional, default=none): A list of tables that you want to generate the source definitions for.
• generate_columns (optional, default=False): Whether you want to add the column names to your source definition.
• include_descriptions (optional, default=False): Whether you want to add description placeholders to your source definition.
• table_pattern (optional, default='%'): A table prefix / postfix that you want to subselect from all available tables within a given schema.
• exclude (optional, default=''): A string you want to exclude from the selection criteria
• name (optional, default=schema_name): The name of your source

Usage:

1. Copy the macro into a statement tab in the dbt Cloud IDE, or into an analysis file, and compile your code

{{ codegen.generate_source('raw_jaffle_shop') }}

Alternatively, call the macro as an operation:

$ dbt run-operation generate_source --args 'schema_name: raw_jaffle_shop'

or

# for multiple arguments, use the dict syntax
$ dbt run-operation generate_source --args '{"schema_name": "jaffle_shop", "database_name": "raw", "table_names":["table_1", "table_2"]}'

2. The YAML for the source will be logged to the command line

version: 2

sources:
  - name: raw_jaffle_shop
    database: raw
    tables:
      - name: customers
        description: ""
      - name: orders
        description: ""
      - name: payments
        description: ""

3. Paste the output in to a schema .yml file, and refactor as required.

generate_base_model (source)

This macro generates the SQL for a base model, which you can then paste into a model.

Arguments:

• source_name (required): The source you wish to generate base model SQL for.
• table_name (required): The source table you wish to generate base model SQL for.
• leading_commas (optional, default=False): Whether you want your commas to be leading (vs trailing).
• case_sensitive_cols (optional, default=False): Whether your source table has case sensitive column names. If true, keeps the case of the column names from the source.

Usage:

1. Create a source for the table you wish to create a base model on top of.
2. Copy the macro into a statement tab in the dbt Cloud IDE, or into an analysis file, and compile your code

{{ codegen.generate_base_model(
    source_name='raw_jaffle_shop',
    table_name='customers'
) }}

Alternatively, call the macro as an operation:

$ dbt run-operation generate_base_model --args '{"source_name": "raw_jaffle_shop", "table_name": "customers"}'

3. The SQL for a base model will be logged to the command line

with source as (

    select * from {{ source('raw_jaffle_shop', 'customers') }}

),

renamed as (

    select
        id,
        first_name,
        last_name,
        email,
        _elt_updated_at

    from source

)

select * from renamed

4. Paste the output in to a model, and refactor as required.

generate_model_yaml (source)

This macro generates the YAML for a model, which you can then paste into a schema.yml file.

Arguments:

• model_name (required): The model you wish to generate YAML for.
• upstream_descriptions (optional, default=False): Whether you want to include descriptions for identical column names from upstream models.

Usage:

1. Create a model.
2. Copy the macro into a statement tab in the dbt Cloud IDE, or into an analysis file, and compile your code

{{ codegen.generate_model_yaml(
    model_name='customers'
) }}

Alternatively, call the macro as an operation:

$ dbt run-operation generate_model_yaml --args '{"model_name": "customers"}'

3. The YAML for a base model will be logged to the command line

version: 2

models:
  - name: customers
    columns:
      - name: customer_id
        description: ""
      - name: customer_name
        description: ""

4. Paste the output in to a schema.yml file, and refactor as required.