Common dbt CLI Commands

dbt run

The workhorse command that executes your models and creates views/tables in your data warehouse.

Basic Usage

dbt run

Output:

12:00:00 | Concurrency: 4 threads (target='dev')
12:00:00 | 
12:00:00 | 1 of 5 START model my_project.stg_orders.... [RUN]
12:00:01 | 1 of 5 OK created model my_project.stg_orders [SUCCESS 1 in 1.00s]
...
12:00:05 | Completed successfully

dbt run --select

Run only specific models.

Example 1: Single model

dbt run --select my_first_dbt_model

Example 2: A staging model

dbt run --select stg_reviews

Example 3: A model by fully qualified name (FQN)

dbt run --select analytics.dim_venues

Example 4: A source path or group

dbt run --select src.src_reviews

Output:

12:02:00 | START model analytics.dim_venues [RUN]
12:02:01 | OK created model analytics.dim_venues [SUCCESS 1 in 1.01s]

dbt run --full-refresh

For incremental models, this drops and rebuilds them entirely.

dbt run --full-refresh

With filters:

dbt run --select dim_venues --full-refresh

Output:

12:03:00 | Full refresh requested for: 1 incremental model
12:03:01 | Dropping table analytics.dim_venues...
12:03:02 | Creating table analytics.dim_venues...

dbt test

Runs schema and data tests on your models.

dbt test

Select a specific model:

dbt test --select dim_venues

Output:

12:04:00 | START test not_null_dim_venues_venue_id.... [RUN]
12:04:00 | PASS not_null_dim_venues_venue_id [PASS in 0.5s]
12:04:00 | PASS unique_dim_venues_venue_id [PASS in 0.3s]

dbt test --select (Examples)

dbt test --select test

or

dbt test --select dim.dim_listings_cleansed

You can also run tests for a folder or group of models:

dbt test --select dim.*

dbt seed

Loads CSV files from the data/ folder into your warehouse.

dbt seed

Output:

12:05:00 | START seed file seed_states.csv [RUN]
12:05:01 | OK loaded seed file seed_states.csv [INSERT 50 rows in 0.8s]

dbt source freshness

Check freshness of your raw source data.

dbt source freshness

Output:

12:06:00 | freshness of source "src_reviews" is 2 hours (warn after: 12, error after: 24)
12:06:00 | PASS freshness checks

Set thresholds in sources.yml using freshness: warn_after: and error_after:.

dbt compile

Compiles all models (applies Jinja) into SQL in the target/ directory.

dbt compile

Output:

12:07:00 | Compiled 20 models

Great for debugging or previewing final SQL.

dbt list (Bonus!)

Lists models or nodes that match filters. Super useful for scripting or CI/CD.

dbt list --select tag:core

dbt list --select path:models/marts/finance/

More --select Examples

# Run all dim models
dbt run --select dim.*
 
# Run everything in marts folder
dbt run --select path:models/marts/
 
# Run all models downstream of a source
dbt run --select +src_reviews
 
# Run all models upstream of a fact table
dbt run --select fct.fct_reviews+
 
# Run only tests, not models
dbt test --exclude tag:deprecated

Here’s a quick reference table:

Use --select and --exclude together for precise control.

dbt run --select tag:core --exclude dim_venues

This helps when debugging or targeting small sections of your DAG.