#052: dbt Environments vs Targets | What's the Difference?

As you build out your dbt project, you're inevitably going to run into the concept of environments.

But one thing that I hear from clients as well as other engineers is that it can be a bit confusing.

Especially when trying to compare configuring them on dbt Core, the open source version, to how it's done on dbt Cloud.

In short, the biggest difference is that dbt Cloud provides options through a user interface while dbt Core is all code-based.

This is also one of the main examples for why I always suggest folks learn dbt Core FIRST before moving to Cloud.

If you fully understand both, you can navigate this concept seamlessly between the different versions even though they are presented slightly different.

So in today's video I'm going to break down the differences between 3 key concepts of:

• targets
• environments
• environment variables

By the end, you'll understand the similarities and differences and feel comfortable working with these concepts regardless of which platform or version that you're using.

What will you learn? 

• How to use Targets in dbt Core
• How dbt Cloud uses the concept of Environments
• Where env_vars fit in

Enjoy!