Why documentation makes data discoverable in dbt - Test Your Understanding

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to add a description to a model in dbt.

dbt

models:
  - name: customers
    description: "[1]"

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

ACreate a table

BLoad data

CRun the model

DList of customers with details

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using commands instead of descriptions

Leaving the description empty

Adding a description helps others understand what the model contains.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to document a column in a dbt model.

dbt

columns:
  - name: customer_id
    description: "[1]"

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

AUnique identifier for each customer

BCustomer's age

CDate of purchase

DTotal sales amount

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using unrelated descriptions

Leaving descriptions vague

Documenting columns with clear descriptions helps users find and understand data fields.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the dbt schema file to make documentation discoverable.

dbt

version: 2
models:
  - name: orders
    description: "Order details"
    columns:
      - name: order_id
        [1]: "Unique order number"

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Adoc

Bdesc

Cdescription

Ddetails

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using incorrect keys like 'desc' or 'doc'

Misspelling 'description'

The correct key to document columns in dbt schema files is description.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to create a documented test for a column in dbt.

dbt

tests:
  - [1]:
      severity: [2]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Anot_null

Bwarn

Cerror

Dunique

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'unique' test when checking for nulls

Setting severity to an invalid value

Using not_null test with warn severity helps catch missing data without failing the run.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a documented source in dbt.

dbt

sources:
  - name: [1]
    description: "[2]"
    tables:
      - name: [3]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Araw_data

BRaw data from sales system

Ctransactions

Dcustomers

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Mixing source and table names

Leaving description empty

Documenting sources with clear names and descriptions helps users find original data tables.

Practice

1. Why is documentation important in dbt projects for data discoverability?

easy

A. It speeds up the data processing time.

B. It explains data clearly so users can find and understand it easily.

C. It automatically fixes errors in data models.

D. It encrypts data for security.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of documentation in dbt

   Documentation provides clear explanations about data models and columns.

2. Step 2: Connect documentation to data discoverability

   Clear explanations help users find and understand data easily, improving discoverability.

3. Final Answer:

   It explains data clearly so users can find and understand it easily. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Documentation improves discoverability [OK]

Hint: Documentation means clear explanations for easy data finding [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing documentation with data processing speed
• Thinking documentation fixes data errors automatically
• Assuming documentation encrypts data

2. Which of the following is the correct way to add a description to a dbt model in YAML?

easy

A. models:
- name: sales
description: 'Contains sales data by region'

B. models:
name: sales
description: 'Contains sales data by region'

C. model:
- name: sales
description: 'Contains sales data by region'

D. models:
- sales:
description: 'Contains sales data by region'

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall YAML structure for dbt model descriptions

   The correct syntax uses 'models:' followed by a list with '- name:' and 'description:' keys.

2. Step 2: Identify the option matching this structure

   models: - name: sales description: 'Contains sales data by region' correctly uses a list item with 'name' and 'description' under 'models'.

3. Final Answer:

   models:\n - name: sales\n description: 'Contains sales data by region' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Correct YAML list syntax [OK]

Hint: YAML lists use dash and indentation for model descriptions [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Missing dash for list items
• Using singular 'model' instead of 'models'
• Incorrect indentation breaking YAML format

3. Given this YAML snippet in a dbt model file:

models:
  - name: customers
    description: 'Customer details including name and email'
  - name: orders
    description: 'Order records with dates and amounts'

What will dbt documentation show for the 'orders' model?

medium

A. Error loading description

B. Customer details including name and email

C. Order records with dates and amounts

D. No description available

Solution

1. Step 1: Locate the 'orders' model in the YAML snippet

   The 'orders' model is listed with a description: 'Order records with dates and amounts'.

2. Step 2: Understand dbt documentation usage

   dbt uses the description text to show model info in docs.

3. Final Answer:

   Order records with dates and amounts -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Model description matches YAML text [OK]

Hint: Match model name to its description in YAML [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing descriptions between models
• Assuming missing description means error
• Confusing model names

4. You wrote this YAML for a dbt model description but the docs show no description:

models:
  name: products
  description: 'Product catalog details'

What is the likely error?

medium

A. Missing dash (-) before 'name' to define list item

B. Incorrect key 'description' instead of 'desc'

C. YAML does not support descriptions

D. Model name should be uppercase

Solution

1. Step 1: Check YAML list syntax for models

   dbt expects 'models:' followed by a list indicated by '-'. Missing dash means no list item.

2. Step 2: Identify the missing dash before 'name'

   Without '-', YAML treats 'name' as a key under 'models', not a list item, so description is ignored.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing dash (-) before 'name' to define list item -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Dash defines list items in YAML [OK]

Hint: Always use dash for list items in YAML [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using wrong key names
• Thinking YAML disallows descriptions
• Ignoring YAML indentation rules

5. You want to improve data discoverability by adding descriptions to columns in a dbt model. Which YAML snippet correctly documents the 'customer_id' column with a description?

hard

A. models:
- name: customers
columns:
- name: customer_id
desc: 'Unique ID for each customer'

B. models:
- name: customers
columns:
customer_id: 'Unique ID for each customer'

C. models:
- name: customers
columns:
- customer_id: 'Unique ID for each customer'

D. models:
- name: customers
columns:
- name: customer_id
description: 'Unique ID for each customer'

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct YAML structure for column documentation in dbt

   Columns are listed as items with '- name:' and 'description:' keys.

2. Step 2: Identify the option matching this structure

   models: - name: customers columns: - name: customer_id description: 'Unique ID for each customer' correctly uses '- name: customer_id' and 'description' key.

3. Final Answer:

   models:\n - name: customers\n columns:\n - name: customer_id\n description: 'Unique ID for each customer' -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Correct column description syntax [OK]

Hint: Use '- name:' and 'description:' for columns in YAML [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using key-value pairs without dash for columns
• Using 'desc' instead of 'description'
• Incorrect indentation breaking YAML