DBT Runner

DBT Runner is a VS Code extension for running dbt workflows from a sidebar and quick-pick UI.

Version: 0.0.1 Required VS Code version: 1.75.0 or newer

What The Extension Includes

• Sidebar actions for setup, Pipenv lifecycle tasks, and core dbt commands
• One-click command runner with optional target prompt for most dbt operations
• Quick operation picker from the editor title bar and command palette
• Shared DBT Runner terminal session in the current workspace
• Custom dbt command execution from an input prompt
• dbt lineage view generated from target/manifest.json
• Cleanup action for dbt artifacts, virtual environments, and cache folders

User Manual

1. Install The Extension

1. Open VS Code.
2. Open Extensions.
3. Choose Install from VSIX.
4. Select the DBT Runner VSIX package.
5. Reload VS Code if prompted.

Command-line install:

code --install-extension dbt-runner-0.0.1.vsix

2. Open A dbt Project

1. Open your dbt project folder in VS Code.
2. Open Explorer.
3. Find the DBT Runner view.

3. Run Operations From The Sidebar

1. Expand one of the sections:

• Setup & Maintenance
• Pipenv
• DBT Commands

2. Select an operation.
3. If prompted for target, enter a profile target name or leave empty.
4. Review output in the DBT Runner terminal.

4. Run Operations From Quick Pick

Option A:

• Click the DBT operations button in the editor title area.

Option B:

1. Open command palette.
2. Run Show DBT Operations.
3. Select an operation.

5. Available Operations

Setup & Maintenance:

• Create venv + Install dbt
• Clean artifacts

Setup behavior notes:

• During Create venv + Install dbt, DBT Runner loads workspace .env variables first (if a .env file is present), then runs setup commands in that environment.
• While creating the virtual environment, it checks for requirements.txt first, then Pipfile, to install dbt and related Python dependencies.
• If neither requirements.txt nor Pipfile is found, DBT Runner prompts for a dbt package and installs it in the virtual environment.

Pipenv:

• Bootstrap
• Lock
• Sync
• Verify

Bootstrap behavior notes:

• During Pipenv Bootstrap, DBT Runner also loads workspace .env variables first (if a .env file is present) before running pipenv bootstrap commands.

DBT Commands:

• lineage
• run-operation
• deps
• compile
• seed
• build
• run
• list
• retry
• test
• snapshot
• docs generate
• docs serve
• parse
• Custom command

6. Typical First-Time Flow

1. Run Create venv + Install dbt.
2. Run deps.
3. Run parse or compile.
4. Run build or run and test.
5. Use lineage after manifest.json is created.

Troubleshooting

DBT Runner view is missing:

• Ensure a workspace folder is open.
• Reload VS Code.

Operation does not run:

• Open DBT Runner terminal and check the command output.
• Confirm Python/dbt is installed or run Create venv + Install dbt.

Pipenv bootstrap fails:

• Confirm a Pipfile exists in the workspace root.

lineage fails:

• Run parse or compile first to generate target/manifest.json.