dbt (Data Build Tool)

dbt (Data Build Tool) is a SQL-based transformation framework for the modern data stack that brings software engineering practices — version control, testing, modularity, documentation — to analytics. Analysts write modular SELECT statements; dbt compiles them into materialized tables and views in the data warehouse. dbt has become the de facto standard for in-warehouse transformation, with mature ecosystems for testing, documentation, and lineage. dbt Core is open-source; dbt Cloud is the commercial managed offering. Empire325 dbt implementations follow a layered architecture (staging → intermediate → marts) aligned to dimensional modeling principles.