Skip to main content

​
Unit tests with dbt refs

SQLBuild unit tests can mock dbt model dependencies using __dbt_ref__ fixture CTEs. When a model has a package, use __dbt_ref__package__model. When there is no package, use __dbt_ref__model: 
TEST();

WITH
__dbt_ref__analytics__fact_orders AS (
  SELECT 1 AS order_id, 100 AS customer_id, 2500 AS amount_cents
),
__expected__downstream_orders AS (
  SELECT 1 AS order_id
)
SELECT 1
This mocks the dbt model analytics.fact_orders with controlled data, allowing you to test your SQLBuild model without a warehouse connection or a compiled dbt manifest.

​
sqb dbt test

sqb dbt test runs dbt tests first, then SQLBuild’s validations for the selected models:
  1. dbt test runs first - with the user’s original selectors
  2. SQLBuild test runs - unit tests for selected SQLBuild models
  3. SQLBuild audit runs - audits for selected SQLBuild models
dbt’s test_type:data and test_type:unit selectors are mapped to SQLBuild equivalents: test_type:data runs SQLBuild audits, test_type:unit runs SQLBuild unit tests. Without a test type selector, both run.

​
sqb dbt debug

sqb dbt debug runs both dbt’s and SQLBuild’s diagnostics: 
sqb dbt debug
This runs dbt debug (verifying dbt project config and warehouse connection) followed by sqb debug (verifying SQLBuild project config and connection).