SQL vs dbt Models (& the value of CTEs)

There's a difference between writing SQL and designing a well structured dbt model.

A lot of these nuances can be subtle.

But when combined, make a big difference in the success of your project.

So in today's video I want to talk about one of those nuances in particular.

The usage of CTEs, or Common Table Expressions.

The use (or lack thereof) of these in a dbt model can serve as a key indicator of how a team thinks about & uses dbt.

And perhaps modern analytics in general.

Not necessarily because it will drastically increase performance...

But rather because it indicates a level of understanding around the underlying ways cloud databases operate.

And how dbt helps to take advantage of it.

You'll learn how they can:

• Be used to provide functionality similar to Python
• Improve the cleanliness and structure of your query
• Simplify the process of de-bugging code

Enjoy.