Running dbt Commands

Preferences

1. Use MCP tools if available (dbt_build, dbt_run, dbt_show, etc.) - they handle paths, timeouts, and formatting automatically
2. Use build instead of run or test - test doesn't refresh the model, so testing a model change requires build. build does a run and a test of each node (model, seed, snapshot) in the order of the DAG
3. Always use --quiet with --warn-error-options '{"error": ["NoNodesForSelectionCriteria"]}' to reduce output while catching selector typos
4. Always use --select - never run the entire project without explicit user approval

Quick Reference

# Standard command pattern
dbt build --select my_model --quiet --warn-error-options '{"error": ["NoNodesForSelectionCriteria"]}'

# Preview model output
dbt show --select my_model --limit 10