Installing packages with packages.yml in dbt - Try It Yourself

Installing packages with packages.yml

📖 Scenario: You are working on a data analytics project using dbt. You want to add external packages to your project to reuse useful models and macros created by others.

🎯 Goal: Learn how to add and install packages in a dbt project using the packages.yml file.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a packages.yml file with the correct package entry

Specify the package name and version

Run the dbt command to install the package

Verify the package is installed

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

In real data projects, you often reuse code from others by installing dbt packages. This saves time and ensures best practices.

💼 Career

Knowing how to manage dbt packages is important for data analysts and engineers working with dbt to build reliable data pipelines.

1

Create a packages.yml file

Create a file named packages.yml in your dbt project root folder. Inside it, add a packages list with one package entry. The package name should be dbt-labs/dbt_utils and the version should be 0.8.6. Write exactly this content in packages.yml:

packages:
  - package: dbt-labs/dbt_utils
    version: 0.8.6

dbt

# Create packages.yml file with the specified package and version
# Your code here

Hint

The packages.yml file must have a packages key with a list of packages. Each package needs a package name and a version.

2

Add a config variable for package path

Create a variable called package_path and set it to the string "dbt-labs/dbt_utils". This will help you refer to the package name later.

dbt

packages:
  - package: dbt-labs/dbt_utils
    version: 0.8.6

# Create a variable called package_path with the package name
# Your code here

Hint

Use a simple assignment statement to create the variable package_path.

3

Run the dbt command to install packages

Write a command string variable called install_command that contains the exact shell command dbt deps. This command will install the packages listed in packages.yml.

dbt

packages:
  - package: dbt-labs/dbt_utils
    version: 0.8.6

package_path = "dbt-labs/dbt_utils"

# Create a variable install_command with the string 'dbt deps'
# Your code here

Hint

Assign the string "dbt deps" to the variable install_command.

4

Print the install command output

Print the string stored in the variable install_command to show the command you will run to install packages.

dbt

packages:
  - package: dbt-labs/dbt_utils
    version: 0.8.6

package_path = "dbt-labs/dbt_utils"

install_command = "dbt deps"

# Print the install_command variable
# Your code here

Hint

Use print(install_command) to display the command.

Practice

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

easy

A. To list external packages and their versions for installation

B. To define database connection settings

C. To write SQL models for transformations

D. To configure dbt user permissions

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of packages.yml and compare with other dbt files

   This file is used to specify external packages that the dbt project depends on, including their names and versions. Database connections are set in profiles.yml, SQL models are separate files, and permissions are managed outside packages.yml.

2. Final Answer:

   To list external packages and their versions for installation -> Option A

3. Quick Check:

   packages.yml = package list [OK]

Hint: Remember: packages.yml lists packages, not configs or code [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing packages.yml with profiles.yml
• Thinking packages.yml contains SQL code
• Assuming it manages user permissions

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to specify a package in packages.yml?

easy

A. - dbt_utils: 0.8.0

B. package: dbt_utils, version=0.8.0

C. dbt_utils: version 0.8.0

D. - package: dbt_utils
version: 0.8.0

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall YAML list syntax for packages and check each option format

   Packages are listed as items with a dash, followed by keys package and version indented below. - package: dbt_utils version: 0.8.0 matches the correct YAML format. Others use incorrect separators or structure.

2. Final Answer:

   - package: dbt_utils version: 0.8.0 -> Option D

3. Quick Check:

   YAML list with dash and keys = - package: dbt_utils version: 0.8.0 [OK]

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

Common Mistakes:

• Using commas instead of new lines
• Missing dash for list items
• Incorrect key-value separators

3. Given this packages.yml content:

- package: dbt_utils
  version: 0.8.0
- package: fivetran_utils
  version: 0.3.0

What command should you run to install these packages?

medium

A. dbt deps

B. dbt install

C. dbt run

D. dbt build

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the command for installing packages and differentiate from other dbt commands

   The command dbt deps reads packages.yml and installs or updates the listed packages. dbt install is not a valid command, dbt run runs models, and dbt build runs models and tests but does not install packages.

2. Final Answer:

   dbt deps -> Option A

3. Quick Check:

   Install packages = dbt deps [OK]

Hint: Use 'dbt deps' to install packages from packages.yml [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'dbt install' which doesn't exist
• Confusing 'dbt run' with package installation
• Trying 'dbt build' for package install

4. You added a new package to packages.yml but after running dbt deps, the package is not installed. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. The package version is too new and unsupported

B. You ran dbt run instead of dbt deps

C. You forgot to save the packages.yml file before running the command

D. You need to restart your computer

Solution

1. Step 1: Check common user errors and evaluate other options

   If the packages.yml file was not saved, dbt deps reads the old file without the new package. Running dbt run does not install packages, but the question states dbt deps was run. Version issues usually cause errors, not silent skips. Restarting computer is unnecessary.

2. Final Answer:

   You forgot to save the packages.yml file before running the command -> Option C

3. Quick Check:

   Unsaved file = no package install [OK]

Hint: Always save packages.yml before running dbt deps [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming dbt run installs packages
• Ignoring file save before command
• Thinking restart fixes package install

5. You want to add the dbt_utils package version 0.8.0 and the fivetran_utils package version 0.3.0 to your project. Which packages.yml content is correct to install both packages properly?

hard

A. - dbt_utils: version 0.8.0
- fivetran_utils: version 0.3.0

B. - package: dbt_utils
version: 0.8.0
- package: fivetran_utils
version: 0.3.0

C. packages:
- dbt_utils: 0.8.0
- fivetran_utils: 0.3.0

D. - package: dbt_utils, version: 0.8.0
- package: fivetran_utils, version: 0.3.0

Solution

1. Step 1: Review correct YAML list format for multiple packages and check each option's correctness

   Each package is an item starting with a dash, followed by package and version keys on separate lines with indentation. - package: dbt_utils version: 0.8.0 - package: fivetran_utils version: 0.3.0 matches the correct YAML syntax. packages: - dbt_utils: 0.8.0 - fivetran_utils: 0.3.0 incorrectly adds a root key packages. - dbt_utils: version 0.8.0 - fivetran_utils: version 0.3.0 uses wrong key-value format. - package: dbt_utils, version: 0.8.0 - package: fivetran_utils, version: 0.3.0 uses commas inside YAML which is invalid.

2. Final Answer:

   - package: dbt_utils version: 0.8.0 - package: fivetran_utils version: 0.3.0 -> Option B

3. Quick Check:

   Proper YAML list with keys = - package: dbt_utils version: 0.8.0 - package: fivetran_utils version: 0.3.0 [OK]

Hint: List each package with dash, package, and version keys [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding extra root keys like 'packages:'
• Using commas inside YAML list items
• Incorrect key-value formatting