> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.paradime.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting started with dbt™

> An introduction to dbt™ for beginners, covering core concepts, project structure, models, sources, and testing to help you build reliable data transformations.

## 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.

<Info>
  If you're new to dbt™, this guide will walk you through the key concepts of dbt™
</Info>

### Explore the Basics of dbt™

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="1. Introduction" href="/guides/dbt-fundamentals/getting-started-with-dbt/introduction" horizontal>
    📌 Understand how dbt™ improves data transformations, version control, and testing in the modern data stack.
  </Card>

  <Card title="2. Project Structure" href="/guides/dbt-fundamentals/getting-started-with-dbt/project-strucuture" horizontal>
    📁 Learn how dbt™ projects are structured, including key files like dbt\_project.yml , models, sources, and dependencies.
  </Card>

  <Card title="4. Working with Sources" href="/guides/dbt-fundamentals/getting-started-with-dbt/working-with-sources" horizontal>
    🔗 Define and manage raw data sources using sources.yml , ensuring consistency, documentation, and data freshness.
  </Card>

  <Card title="3. Models and Transformations" href="/guides/dbt-fundamentals/getting-started-with-dbt/models-and-transformations" horizontal>
    📊 Discover how dbt™ models work, including ref(), materializations, and Jinja for dynamic transformations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="5. Testing Data Quality" href="/guides/dbt-fundamentals/getting-started-with-dbt/testing-data-quality" horizontal>
    🛠️ Explore dbt™ testing, including built-in and custom tests to validate data integrity and enforce business rules.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Info>
  Prefer hands-on learning? Check out our [**Paradime 101 Guide**](/guides/paradime-101/index) for a step-by-step, interactive way to learn dbt™ and analytics engineering best practices—all for free.
</Info>


## Related topics

- [Getting Started](/developers/webhooks/getting-started.md)
- [Getting Started with the Paradime IDE](/guides/paradime-101/getting-started-with-the-paradime-ide/index.md)
- [Getting Started with your Paradime Workspace](/guides/paradime-101/getting-started-with-your-paradime-workspace/index.md)