dbt_project.yml configuration - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding the purpose of dbt_project.yml

What is the main purpose of the dbt_project.yml file in a dbt project?

A It contains SQL queries to transform data in the warehouse.

B It stores the raw data extracted from the source databases.

C It defines the project configuration including model paths, version, and materializations.

D It manages user permissions and access control for the dbt project.

💡 Hint

Think about where dbt stores project-wide settings.

The dbt_project.yml file is the main configuration file for a dbt project. It sets paths, versions, and default behaviors like materializations.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of model materialization setting

Given this snippet from dbt_project.yml:

models:
  my_project:
    +materialized: view
    staging:
      +materialized: table

What materialization will the model staging.orders use?

A incremental

B view

C ephemeral

D table

💡 Hint

Check if there is a more specific setting for staging models.

The staging folder has a specific materialization set to table, which overrides the project-level view setting.

❓ data_output

advanced

Effect of source-paths configuration

Consider this dbt_project.yml snippet:

source-paths:
  - models
  - analysis

If you add a new SQL model file under analysis/, will dbt compile it as a model?

A No, because <code>analysis</code> files are not compiled as models by default.

B Yes, because <code>analysis</code> is included in <code>source-paths</code>.

C Yes, but only if the file has a specific naming convention.

D No, because <code>source-paths</code> only applies to data sources, not models.

💡 Hint

Think about the difference between models and analysis directories in dbt.

The analysis directory is for analysis files, not models. Even if included in source-paths, dbt does not compile analysis files as models.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Identify the error in dbt_project.yml snippet

What error will occur with this dbt_project.yml snippet?

models:
  my_project:
    +materialized: table
    +schema: analytics
    staging:
      +materialized: incremental
      +schema: staging_data

A YAML parsing error due to incorrect indentation.

B No error; configuration is valid.

C Runtime error because <code>+schema</code> cannot be set at folder level.

D Error because <code>+materialized</code> cannot be incremental.

💡 Hint

Check YAML indentation and valid dbt config keys.

The snippet is correctly indented and uses valid dbt config keys. Incremental materialization and schema overrides are allowed.

🚀 Application

expert

Predict the schema for nested model configurations

Given this dbt_project.yml snippet:

models:
  my_project:
    +schema: analytics
    marts:
      +schema: marts_schema
      finance:
        +schema: finance_schema
        +materialized: table

What schema will the model marts.finance.revenue use?

A finance_schema

B analytics

C default schema of the warehouse

D marts_schema

💡 Hint

Remember that nested configurations override parent settings.

The most specific schema setting applies. Here, finance_schema overrides marts_schema and analytics.