Column-Level Lineage Diff

Overview

The Column-Level Lineage Diff Analysis feature in Paradime enables users to understand the blast radius of their changes directly within pull requests (PRs). By leveraging field-level lineage, this CI check identifies changes to columns in your dbt™ models and creates a report for all impacted downstream objects. This includes renaming or removing columns and changes to the underlying logic of columns in your dbt™ models.

When a PR is opened it GitHub, an automated comment is generated listing all downstream nodes. This allows users to understand the changes introduced at a column level and assess the potential impact on downstream dbt™ models. BI dashboards, and other downstream elements.

Key Features

• Field-Level Lineage: Identify changes to columns in your dbt™ models and generate a detailed report of all impacted downstream objects.

• Automated Comments: Receive automated comments in your PRs listing all downstream dbt™ models and BI nodes affected by the changes.

• Impact Assessment: Understand what nodes and other elements might be impacted by the changes introduced in the PR.

Use cases

• Assess all downstream nodes nodes impacted by changes both within a dbt project and in downstream application (example: BI)

• For Data Mesh architectures, see how your current project's changes impact other project changes.

Tutorial

Prerequisites

To use theColumn-Level Lineage Diff Analysis features, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

1. Git Integration: Install the Paradime GitHub app and authorize access to the dbt™ repository used in Paradime or use alternative methods based on your Git Provider. See setup instructions.
2. Production Connection: Add a production connection with access to your sources and models generated when running production jobs. This allows Paradime to run information schema queries and build field-level lineage. See connection guide for instructions based on your data warehouse provider.
3. Have at least one Bolt Schedule configured. This is required to generate field-level lineage for your dbt™ project. See Bolt Scheduler for configuration.

To get the most value out of Lineage Diff Analysis, connect you BI tools (Tableau, Thoughtspot, Looker, etc.) to see all downstream nodes impacted.

Setup Instructions

Using GitHub

---

GitHub Integration: Install the Paradime GitHub app and authorize access to the dbt™ repository used in Paradime. See installation guide for instructions.

Troubleshooting

Unable to find public GitHub email address

If a user GitHub is not configured correctly when opening a PR the user will see the below comment in the Pull Request:

To fix this issue, make sure the user opening the Pull Request completed the #github-user-level-oauth in Paradime.

Using GitLab

---

1. Generate API keys

API keys are generate at a workspace level.

To be able to trigger Bolt using the API, you will first need to generate API keys for your workspace. Got to account settings and generate your API keys, make sure to save in your password manager:

• API key

• API secret

• API Endpoint

You will need this later when setting up the secrets in GitLab.

API Keys

2. Create a Pipeline

Now you will need to create a new .gitlab-ci.yml file in your dbt™️ repository. Copy the code below.

stages:
  - lineage_diff_report

lineage_diff_report:
  stage: lineage_diff_report
  image: python:3.11
  tags:
    - gitlab-org
  rules:
    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "merge_request_event"
      when: always
  variables:
    PARADIME_API_KEY: ${PARADIME_API_KEY}
    PARADIME_API_SECRET: ${PARADIME_API_SECRET}
    PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT: ${PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT}
    GITLAB_TOKEN: ${GITLAB_TOKEN}
    GIT_DEPTH: 0
  before_script:
    - pip install paradime-io==4.5.0
  script: |
    # Echo the relevant environment variables
    echo "Head Commit Hash: $CI_COMMIT_SHA"
    echo "Base Commit Hash: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_DIFF_BASE_SHA"
    echo "Pull Request Number: $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID"
    echo "Repository Full Name: $CI_PROJECT_PATH"
    echo "Pull Request Author Email: $GITLAB_USER_EMAIL"

    # Get the list of changed files in this MR
    export CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_DIFF_BASE_SHA $CI_COMMIT_SHA)
    echo "Files changed in this MR:"
    echo "$CHANGED_FILES"

    # Generate a random report file name
    export REPORT_FILE="report_$(openssl rand -hex 12).json"
    echo "Report file: $REPORT_FILE"

    # Install  jq
    apt-get update -y && apt-get install -y jq

    # Run the Paradime lineage diff analysis
    python3 -u <<EOF
    import os
    import json
    from pathlib import Path
    from paradime import Paradime

    paradime = Paradime(
      api_key=os.environ['PARADIME_API_KEY'],
      api_secret=os.environ['PARADIME_API_SECRET'],
      api_endpoint=os.environ['PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT']
    )

    report = paradime.lineage_diff.trigger_report_and_wait(
      base_commit_sha=os.environ['CI_MERGE_REQUEST_DIFF_BASE_SHA'],
      head_commit_sha=os.environ['CI_COMMIT_SHA'],
      changed_file_paths=os.environ['CHANGED_FILES'].split('\\n'),
      pull_request_number=int(os.environ['CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID']),
      repository_name=os.environ['CI_PROJECT_PATH'],
      user_email=os.environ['GITLAB_USER_EMAIL']
    )

    print("Lineage Diff Report Message: ", report.message)

    if report.result_markdown:
      data = json.dumps({'body': report.result_markdown})
      Path(os.environ['REPORT_FILE']).write_text(data)
    EOF

    # Write GitLab MR comment
    if [ -f "$REPORT_FILE" ]; then
      COMMENT_BODY=$(cat "$REPORT_FILE")
      curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: ${GITLAB_TOKEN}" \
        --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
        --data "$COMMENT_BODY" \
        "https://gitlab.com/api/v4/projects/${CI_PROJECT_ID}/merge_requests/${CI_MERGE_REQUEST_IID}/notes"
    else
      echo "Report file not found, skipping comment."
    fi

3. Create a GitLab Access Token

You will need to create GitLab Access Token with API to enable Comments to be generated when opening a Merge Request.

Create a group access token (Only available on GitLab Premium Tier or Higher)

Navigate to your GitLab project

1. Go to Settings > Access Tokens in the left sidebar

2. Enter a name for your token (e.g., "API Comment Access")

3. Select the appropriate scopes:

   • api (for general API access)

   • Specifically for comments, you'll need at least api scope, which includes the ability to write comments

Create a GitLab personal access token

If using a GitLab personal access token, we suggest creating a new user, called "Paradime" and create the access token attached to this user.

Log in to your GitLab account

1. Go to your user profile > Preferences > Access Tokens (or navigate to https://gitlab.com/-/profile/personal_access_tokens)

2. Enter a name for your token (e.g., "API Comment Access")

3. Select the appropriate scopes:

   • api (for general API access)

   • Specifically for comments, you'll need at least api scope, which includes the ability to write comments

4. Add the API key and Credential in the GitLab variables

Finally you need to add the API key and Credentials generated in the previous step in GitLab CI/CD pipelines as well as the GitLab Token.

Set the corresponding values using your credentials for the variable names:

• PARADIME_API_KEY

• PARADIME_API_SECRET

• PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT

• GITLAB_TOKEN

Using Azure Pipelines

---

1. Generate API keys

API keys are generate at a workspace level.

To be able to trigger Bolt using the API, you will first need to generate API keys for your workspace. Got to account settings and generate your API keys, make sure to save in your password manager:

• API key

• API secret

• API Endpoint

You will need this later when setting up the secrets in Azure pipelines.

API Keys

2. Create an Azure Pipeline

Now you will need to create a new azure-pipeline.yml file in your dbt™️ repository. Copy the code below.

trigger:
  - none

pr:
  - "*"

steps:
  - task: UsePythonVersion@0
    inputs:
      versionSpec: "3.11"
      addToPath: true
    displayName: Use Python 3.11

  - checkout: self
    fetchDepth: 0
    displayName: Clone repository

  - script: |  
      # Install paradime python sdk
      pip install paradime-io==4.5.0

      # Export Paradime API Credentials
      export PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT=$(PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT)
      export PARADIME_API_KEY=$(PARADIME_API_KEY)
      export PARADIME_API_SECRET=$(PARADIME_API_SECRET)

      # Set the relevant environment variables
      export HEAD_COMMIT_SHA=$(System.PullRequest.SourceCommitId)
      export BASE_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse origin/$(System.PullRequest.TargetBranchName))
      export PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER=$(System.PullRequest.PullRequestId)
      export REPO_NAME=$(Build.Repository.Name)
      export USER_EMAIL=$(Build.RequestedForEmail)
      
      # Get the list of changed files in this PR
      export CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only $BASE_COMMIT_SHA $HEAD_COMMIT_SHA)

      # Echo env variables
      echo "Head Commit Hash: $HEAD_COMMIT_SHA"
      echo "Base Commit Hash: $BASE_COMMIT_SHA"
      echo "Pull Request Number: $PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER"
      echo "Repository Full Name: $REPO_NAME"
      echo "Pull Request Author Email: $USER_EMAIL"
      echo "Files changed in this PR: \n $CHANGED_FILES"

      # Generate a random report file name
      export REPORT_FILE="report_$(openssl rand -hex 12).json"
      echo "Report file: $REPORT_FILE"

      python3 -u <<EOF
      import os
      import json
      from pathlib import Path
      from paradime import Paradime

      paradime = Paradime(
        api_key=os.environ['PARADIME_API_KEY'],
        api_secret=os.environ['PARADIME_API_SECRET'],
        api_endpoint=os.environ['PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT']
      )

      report = paradime.lineage_diff.trigger_report_and_wait(
        base_commit_sha=os.environ['BASE_COMMIT_SHA'],
        head_commit_sha=os.environ['HEAD_COMMIT_SHA'],
        changed_file_paths=os.environ['CHANGED_FILES'].split('\\n'),
        pull_request_number=int(os.environ['PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER']),
        repository_name=os.environ['REPO_NAME'],
        user_email=os.environ['USER_EMAIL']
      )

      print("Lineage Diff Report Message: ", report.message)

      if report.result_markdown:
        data = json.dumps({'body': report.result_markdown})
        Path(os.environ['REPORT_FILE']).write_text(report.result_markdown)
      EOF
      if [ -f "$REPORT_FILE" ]; then
        COMMENT=$(cat "$REPORT_FILE")
        echo $COMMENT

        ADO_API=$(echo "$(System.CollectionUri)$(System.TeamProject)/_apis/git/repositories/$(Build.Repository.Name)/pullRequests/$(System.PullRequest.PullRequestId)/threads?api-version=7.1-preview.1")
        PR_COMMENT=$(jq --arg comment "$COMMENT" '.comments[0].content = $comment' <<< '{"comments": [{"parentCommentId": 0,"content": "","commentType": 1}],"status": 1}')
  
        curl --request POST "$ADO_API" \
        --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
        --header "Accept: application/json" \
        --header "Authorization: Bearer $(System.AccessToken)" \
        --data "$PR_COMMENT" \

      else
        echo "Report file not found, skipping comment."
      fi

    displayName: "Generate report and comment on PR"

3. Add the API keys and Credential in the Azure Pipeline variables

Finally you need to add the API key and credentials generated in the previous step in Azure Pipelines.

Set the corresponding values using your credentials for the variable names:

• PARADIME_API_KEY

• PARADIME_API_SECRET

• PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT

4. Update Build Service User Permissions

You will need to add the Contribute to pull requests permission to enable Comments to be generated when opening the Pull Request.

Go to Project Settings in Azure DevOps

• Navigate to "Repositories" under Repos

• Select your repository

• Click "Security"

• Find "Project Collection Build Service" or "[Project Name] Build Service"

• Set "Contribute to pull requests" to allowed

Using BitBucket

---

1. Generate API keys

API keys are generate at a workspace level.

To be able to trigger Bolt using the API, you will first need to generate API keys for your workspace. Got to account settings and generate your API keys, make sure to save in your password manager:

• API key

• API secret

• API Endpoint

You will need this later when setting up the secrets in BitBucket.

API Keys

2. Create a BitBucket Pipeline

Now you will need to create a new bitbucket-pipelines.yml file in your dbt™️ repository. Copy the code block below.

image: python:3.11

definitions:
  steps:
    - step: &paradime-lineage-diff-report
        name: Generate Lineage Diff Report
        size: 2x
        max-time: 30
        script:
          - apt-get update && apt-get install -y curl jq git
          - pip install paradime-io==4.7.1
          - export PARADIME_API_KEY=$PARADIME_API_KEY
          - export PARADIME_API_SECRET=$PARADIME_API_SECRET
          - export PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT=$PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT
          - git fetch origin $BITBUCKET_PR_DESTINATION_BRANCH
          - export HEAD_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse $BITBUCKET_PR_DESTINATION_COMMIT)
          - export BASE_COMMIT_SHA=$BITBUCKET_COMMIT
          - export PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER=$BITBUCKET_PR_ID
          - export REPO_NAME=$BITBUCKET_REPO_FULL_NAME
          - export USER_EMAIL=$(git log -1 --pretty=format:"%ae" $BITBUCKET_COMMIT)
          - export CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only $BASE_COMMIT_SHA $HEAD_COMMIT_SHA)
          - echo "Head Commit Hash $HEAD_COMMIT_SHA"
          - echo "Base Commit Hash $BASE_COMMIT_SHA"
          - echo "Pull Request Number $PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER"
          - echo "Repository Full Name $REPO_NAME"
          - echo "Pull Request Author Email $USER_EMAIL"
          - echo "Files changed in this PR $CHANGED_FILES"
          - export REPORT_FILE="report_$(openssl rand -hex 12).json"
          - echo "Report file $REPORT_FILE"
          - |
            cat > generate_report.py << 'EOL'
            import os
            import json
            from pathlib import Path
            from paradime import Paradime

            def format_json_to_markdown(report_json):
                """
                Convert the JSON report into formatted markdown for Bitbucket comments.
                """
                formatted_output = []
                
                # 1. Title and Warning
                formatted_output.append("# Paradime Column-Level Lineage Analysis\n")
                formatted_output.append("⚠️ The changes included in this pull request may have downstream impacts:\n")
                
                # 2. Table headers and data
                formatted_output.append("| File changed | dbt nodes | dbt projects | Tableau | Looker | ThoughtSpot |")
                formatted_output.append("| :- | -: | -: | -: | -: | -: |")
                
                # Process each file's impact summary
                for file_path, file_data in report_json["changed_files"].items():
                    summary = file_data["impact_summary"]
                    row = [
                        file_path,
                        f"**{summary['dbt_nodes_count']}**",
                        f"**{summary['dbt_projects_count']}**",
                        f"**{summary['tableau_nodes_count']}**",
                        f"**{summary['looker_nodes_count']}**",
                        f"**{summary['thoughtspot_nodes_count']}**"
                    ]
                    formatted_output.append(f"| {' | '.join(row)} |")
                
                # 3. Impact Details Section
                formatted_output.append("\n## 📁 Impact by Changed Files\n")
                formatted_output.append("Expand to view the potential downstream impact created by each changed file:\n")
                
                # Process each file's detailed impacts
                for file_path, file_data in report_json["changed_files"].items():
                    # File header
                    formatted_output.append(f"\n### {file_path}\n")
                    
                    impacted_nodes = file_data["impacted_nodes"]
                    
                    # DBT impacts
                    if impacted_nodes["dbt"]["nodes"]:
                        formatted_output.append(f"**🔶 dbt nodes impacted**: \n")
                        for node in impacted_nodes["dbt"]["nodes"]:
                            formatted_output.append(f"- {node['model_name']}.*{node['column_name']}*\n")
                    
                    # Looker impacts
                    if any([
                        impacted_nodes["looker"]["views"],
                        impacted_nodes["looker"]["explores"],
                        impacted_nodes["looker"]["dashboards"]
                    ]):
                        formatted_output.append(f"**📊 Looker nodes impacted**\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["looker"]["views"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Views:**\n")
                            for view in impacted_nodes["looker"]["views"]:
                                node_text = f"{view['model_name']}.{view['view_id']}.**{view['field_id']}**"
                                if 'url' in view and view['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{node_text}]({view['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {node_text}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["looker"]["explores"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Explores:**\n")
                            for explore in impacted_nodes["looker"]["explores"]:
                                node_text = f"{explore['model_name']}.{explore['explore_id']}.**{explore['field_id']}**"
                                if 'url' in explore and explore['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{node_text}]({explore['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {node_text}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["looker"]["dashboards"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Dashboards:**\n")
                            for dashboard in impacted_nodes["looker"]["dashboards"]:
                                if 'url' in dashboard and dashboard['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{dashboard['name']}]({dashboard['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {dashboard['name']}\n")

                    # Tableau impacts
                    if any([
                        impacted_nodes["tableau"]["dashboards"],
                        impacted_nodes["tableau"]["datasources"],
                        impacted_nodes["tableau"]["worksheets"]
                    ]):
                        formatted_output.append(f"**📊 Tableau nodes impacted**\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["tableau"]["dashboards"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Dashboards:**\n")
                            for dashboard in impacted_nodes["tableau"]["dashboards"]:
                                if 'url' in dashboard and dashboard['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{dashboard['name']}]({dashboard['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {dashboard['name']}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["tableau"]["datasources"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Datasources:**\n")
                            for datasource in impacted_nodes["tableau"]["datasources"]:
                                if 'url' in datasource and datasource['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{datasource['name']}]({datasource['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {datasource['name']}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["tableau"]["worksheets"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Worksheets:**\n")
                            for worksheet in impacted_nodes["tableau"]["worksheets"]:
                                if 'url' in worksheet and worksheet['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{worksheet['name']}]({worksheet['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {worksheet['name']}\n")

                    # ThoughtSpot impacts
                    if any([
                        impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["answers"],
                        impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["liveboards"],
                        impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["visualizations"],
                        impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["worksheets"]
                    ]):
                        formatted_output.append(f"**📊 ThoughtSpot nodes impacted**\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["answers"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Answers:**\n")
                            for answer in impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["answers"]:
                                if 'url' in answer and answer['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{answer['name']}]({answer['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {answer['name']}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["liveboards"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Liveboards:**\n")
                            for liveboard in impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["liveboards"]:
                                if 'url' in liveboard and liveboard['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{liveboard['name']}]({liveboard['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {liveboard['name']}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["visualizations"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Visualizations:**\n")
                            for viz in impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["visualizations"]:
                                if 'url' in viz and viz['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{viz['name']}]({viz['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {viz['name']}\n")
                        
                        if impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["worksheets"]:
                            formatted_output.append("**Worksheets:**\n")
                            for worksheet in impacted_nodes["thoughtspot"]["worksheets"]:
                                if 'url' in worksheet and worksheet['url']:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- [{worksheet['name']}]({worksheet['url']})\n")
                                else:
                                    formatted_output.append(f"- {worksheet['name']}\n")
                
                return '\n'.join(formatted_output)

            paradime = Paradime(
                api_key=os.environ["PARADIME_API_KEY"],
                api_secret=os.environ["PARADIME_API_SECRET"],
                api_endpoint=os.environ["PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT"]
            )

            report = paradime.lineage_diff.trigger_report_and_wait(
                base_commit_sha=os.environ["BASE_COMMIT_SHA"],
                head_commit_sha=os.environ["HEAD_COMMIT_SHA"],
                changed_file_paths=os.environ["CHANGED_FILES"].split("\n"),
                pull_request_number=int(os.environ["PULL_REQUEST_NUMBER"]),
                repository_name=os.environ["REPO_NAME"],
                user_email=os.environ["USER_EMAIL"]
            )

            print("Lineage Diff Report Message: ", report.message)

            if report.result_json:
                # Convert JSON string to Python dict and format as markdown
                report_data = json.loads(report.result_json)
                formatted_markdown = format_json_to_markdown(report_data)
                Path(os.environ["REPORT_FILE"]).write_text(formatted_markdown)
            EOL
          - python3 generate_report.py
          - |
            if [ -f "$REPORT_FILE" ]; then 
              # Create the JSON payload with properly escaped content
              FORMATTED_CONTENT=$(cat "$REPORT_FILE")
              JSON_PAYLOAD=$(jq -n \
                --arg content "$FORMATTED_CONTENT" \
                '{content:{raw:$content}}')
              
              # Send to Bitbucket API
              curl -X POST \
                "https://api.bitbucket.org/2.0/repositories/$BITBUCKET_REPO_FULL_NAME/pullrequests/$BITBUCKET_PR_ID/comments" \
                -H "Authorization: Bearer $BITBUCKET_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
                -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
                -d "$JSON_PAYLOAD"
            else 
              echo "Report file not found, skipping comment."
            fi

pipelines:
  pull-requests:
    '**':
      - step:
          <<: *paradime-lineage-diff-report
          variables:
            PARADIME_API_KEY: $PARADIME_API_KEY
            PARADIME_API_SECRET: $PARADIME_API_SECRET
            PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT: $PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT
                    

3. Generate BitBucket Access Token

You will need to create a BitBucket Access Token with pull_request:write to enable Comments to be generated when opening a Pull Request.

Go to bitbucket.org and sign in:

1. Select your BitBucket Repository

2. Click "Repository Settings" in the left sidebar

3. In Settings, scroll to "Security" section

4. Select "Access tokens"

5. Create New Access Token

6. Click "Create repository access token"

7. Enter the following details:

   • Name: Paradime

   • Permissions: Select Pull requests: Write

4. Add the API keys and Credentials in the BitBucket Pipeline variables

Finally you need to add the API key and credentials generated in the previous step in BitBucket Pipelines as well as the BitBucket Access Token.

Set the corresponding values using your credentials for the variable names:

• PARADIME_API_KEY

• PARADIME_API_SECRET

• PARADIME_API_ENDPOINT

• BITBUCKET_ACCESS_TOKEN