Adding SQLBuild models

The dbt compatibility bridge does not require SQLBuild models. You can optionally add SQLBuild models, tests, audits, and scenarios downstream of dbt outputs.

This is purely additive. Your dbt models stay in dbt, and the layout gains a models/ directory in the SQLBuild project.

my-workspace/
  analytics/                  # your existing dbt project, untouched
    dbt_project.yml
    models/
    target/
      manifest.json
  sqlbuild_project/           # created by SQLBuild
    sqlbuild_project.toml
    models/
      marts/downstream_orders.sql   # references dbt models via __dbt_ref
    tests/
      unit/test_downstream_orders.sql

Referencing dbt models

SQLBuild models reference dbt model outputs with __dbt_ref("package", "model"):

MODEL (
  tags [finance],
  columns (order_id (audits [not_null])),
);

SELECT order_id FROM __dbt_ref("analytics", "fact_orders")

This resolves to the qualified warehouse table name from the dbt manifest (e.g. analytics.fact_orders). The dbt model becomes an upstream dependency in the combined graph, so SQLBuild models downstream of it build against its output.

SQLBuild models can also reference other SQLBuild models with __ref() as usual:

MODEL (tags [marts]);

SELECT order_id FROM __ref("downstream_orders")

Tests, audits, and scenarios

SQLBuild models added downstream of dbt get SQLBuild’s full validation surface:

• Unit tests can mock dbt model dependencies with __dbt_ref__ fixture CTEs, so you can test a SQLBuild model without a warehouse connection or a compiled dbt manifest. See Testing.
• Audits declared inline in the MODEL() header block promotion when they fail, the same as in a standalone SQLBuild project. See Audits.
• Scenarios run the combined graph against fixture inputs for end-to-end checks. See Scenarios.

For the full model authoring reference (materializations, incremental strategies, contracts, and more), see Models.