PR review workflows for dbt changes - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - PR review workflows for dbt changes

Developer makes dbt changes

↓

Create Pull Request (PR)

↓

Automated CI runs dbt tests & builds

↓

Tests pass

↓

Reviewers check

↓

Approve PR

↓

Merge PR

↓

Deploy changes

↓

Monitor & validate

This flow shows how dbt changes go from development, through automated tests and reviews, to deployment.

Execution Sample

dbt

git checkout -b feature/dbt-model
# Make changes to models
git add .
git commit -m "Add new dbt model"
git push origin feature/dbt-model
# Create PR in GitHub
# CI runs: dbt run, dbt test
# Reviewers approve
# Merge PR

This code simulates the steps a developer takes to create a PR with dbt changes and how CI and reviews happen.

Execution Table

Step	Action	Result	Next Step
1	Developer creates feature branch and edits dbt models	Local changes ready	Push branch to remote
2	Push branch to remote repository	Branch available on remote	Create Pull Request (PR)
3	Create PR in GitHub	PR opened, triggers CI	CI runs dbt commands
4	CI runs 'dbt run' and 'dbt test'	Tests pass	Reviewers notified
5	Reviewers check code and tests	Approve PR	Merge PR
6	Merge PR into main branch	Changes merged	Deploy changes
7	Deploy changes to production	New dbt models live	Monitor and validate
8	If tests fail at step 4	CI fails, PR blocked	Developer fixes errors and pushes updates
9	If reviewers request changes at step 5	PR not approved	Developer updates PR
10	After fixes, repeat CI and review	Tests pass and approved	Merge PR

💡 Process ends when PR is merged and changes deployed successfully.

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 4	After Step 5	Final
branch_status	local changes	pushed to remote	unchanged	unchanged	merged
ci_status	not started	triggered	tests pass/fail	tests pass	completed
pr_status	not created	open	open	approved	merged
deployment_status	not deployed	not deployed	not deployed	not deployed	deployed

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why does the PR not merge if CI tests fail?

Because the execution_table row 8 shows that if tests fail, the PR is blocked to prevent broken code from merging.

What happens if reviewers request changes after CI passes?

Row 9 explains that the PR is not approved and the developer must update the PR before merging.

Why do we need to push the branch before creating a PR?

Row 2 shows the branch must be on the remote repository so the PR can be created and CI triggered.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, what is the status of the PR after step 3?

A PR is merged

B PR is open and CI is triggered

C PR is closed

D PR is approved

💡 Hint

Check row 3 in the execution_table for PR status after creation.

At which step does the deployment happen according to the execution_table?

A Step 7

B Step 4

C Step 6

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Look for the step mentioning 'Deploy changes to production' in the execution_table.

If tests fail during CI, what is the next action?

A Merge PR anyway

B Reviewers approve PR

C Developer fixes errors and pushes updates

D Deployment starts

💡 Hint

Refer to row 8 in the execution_table describing CI failure.

Concept Snapshot

PR Review Workflow for dbt Changes:
1. Developer creates feature branch and edits dbt models.
2. Push branch and create PR to trigger CI.
3. CI runs dbt commands (run, test).
4. Reviewers approve if tests pass.
5. Merge PR and deploy changes.
6. Fix errors if tests fail or reviewers request changes.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows the typical PR review workflow for dbt changes. A developer first creates a feature branch and edits dbt models locally. Then they push the branch to the remote repository and create a Pull Request (PR). This PR triggers Continuous Integration (CI) which runs dbt commands like 'dbt run' and 'dbt test'. If the tests pass, reviewers check the code and approve the PR. Once approved, the PR is merged into the main branch and changes are deployed to production. If tests fail or reviewers request changes, the developer must fix the issues and update the PR. This cycle repeats until the PR passes all checks and is merged successfully. The variable tracker shows the state of branch, CI, PR, and deployment statuses at key steps. The key moments clarify common confusions about why PRs might be blocked or require updates. The quiz questions help reinforce understanding by referencing specific steps in the workflow.