# Getting started with dbt™

## Getting Started with dbt™

dbt™ (Data Build Tool) is a transformation framework that enables data teams to apply software engineering best practices to analytics workflows. This section provides a high-level introduction to dbt™, how it fits into the modern data stack, and how to structure your dbt™ projects effectively.

{% hint style="info" %}
If you're new to dbt™, this guide will walk you through the key concepts of dbt™
{% endhint %}

### Explore the Basics of dbt™

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="files"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>📌 <strong>1. Introduction</strong></td><td>Understand how dbt™ improves data transformations, version control, and testing in the modern data stack.</td><td></td><td><a href="getting-started-with-dbt/introduction">introduction</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>📁 <strong>2. Project Structure</strong></td><td>Learn how dbt™ projects are structured, including key files like <code>dbt_project.yml</code>, models, sources, and dependencies.</td><td></td><td><a href="getting-started-with-dbt/project-strucuture">project-strucuture</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>🔗 <strong>4. Working with Sources</strong></td><td>Define and manage raw data sources using <code>sources.yml</code>, ensuring consistency, documentation, and data freshness.</td><td></td><td><a href="getting-started-with-dbt/working-with-sources">working-with-sources</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>📊 <strong>3. Models and Transformations</strong></td><td>Discover how dbt™ models work, including ref(), materializations, and Jinja for dynamic transformations.</td><td></td><td><a href="getting-started-with-dbt/models-and-transformations">models-and-transformations</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>🛠️ <strong>5. Testing Data Quality</strong></td><td>Explore dbt™ testing, including built-in and custom tests to validate data integrity and enforce business rules.</td><td></td><td><a href="getting-started-with-dbt/testing-data-quality">testing-data-quality</a></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
Prefer hands-on learning? Check out our [**Paradime 101 Guide**](https://docs.paradime.io/app-help/guides/paradime-101) for a step-by-step, interactive way to learn dbt™ and analytics engineering best practices—all for free.
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.paradime.io/app-help/concepts/dbt-fundamentals/getting-started-with-dbt.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.