dbt Analytics Engineering Final Exam
Questions with Correct Verified
Answers 2025 Updated.
Analytics Engineer - Answer owns the transformation of raw data up to the BI layer
What technological changes have contributed to the ETL -> ELT evolution? - Answer - Modern
cloud-based data warehouses with scalable storage and compute
- Off the shelf pipeline/extraction tools
- Self-service business intelligence tool increased the ability for stakeholders to access and
analyze data
dbt is part of which step of the ELT process? - Answer Transform
What is required to materialize a model in your data platform with dbt? - Answer A dbt project
with .sql files saved in a models directory AND a connection to a data warehouse with raw data
loaded in. A dbt_project.yml is NOT required
When working in dbt, what should be unique to each dbt developer when working in dev? -
Answer Target Schema
What do git branches allow developers to do in dbt? - Answer Separate branches allow dbt
developers to simultaneously work on the same code base without impacting production
Modeling - Answer shaping of your data between raw data and final data
Source tables -> intermediate tables -> final tables
dbt models - Answer SQL select statements that build out the intermediate and final tables
Models have what relationship with views/tables in the data warehouse? - Answer 1-to-1
Config Blocks - Answer tell dbt about the table (ex. table, view, secure, etc.)
, Source Block - Answer Used to reference raw data that has been loaded into the data
warehouse using other tools
Staging Models - Answer should be built 1:1 with underlying source tables; clean and
standardize data; should include redundant transformations in the code; should be materialized
as views; only place you should use a source macro
Intermediate Models - Answer between staging and final models; always build on staging
models; marts folder; look for opportunities to move filters or aggregations into earlier CTEs or
intermediate models; if code is lengthy or can be reused in another case, break that CTE into an
intermediate model; should not be exposed to end users; thizing ephemerally
Fact Tables - Answer Skinny and long table; things that are occurring or have already occurred
Dimensions Tables - Answer people, places, or things; things that may change but don't
change much
What is the default materialization of a model? - Answer View
Config Order of Precedence - Answer Config specified in the a block at the top of the model
will take precedence over config in yml files
How do you build dependencies between models? - Answer Use the ref function in the from
clause of a model
What are Staging Models used for? - Answer Staging models are used to perform light touch
transformations to shape the data to how you wish it looked
What is a benefit of using subdirectories in your model directory in regards to materialization? -
Answer Subdirectories allow you to configure materializations at a folder level for a collection
of models
Sources - Answer represent the raw data that is loaded into the data warehouse; referenced
using the source block
Questions with Correct Verified
Answers 2025 Updated.
Analytics Engineer - Answer owns the transformation of raw data up to the BI layer
What technological changes have contributed to the ETL -> ELT evolution? - Answer - Modern
cloud-based data warehouses with scalable storage and compute
- Off the shelf pipeline/extraction tools
- Self-service business intelligence tool increased the ability for stakeholders to access and
analyze data
dbt is part of which step of the ELT process? - Answer Transform
What is required to materialize a model in your data platform with dbt? - Answer A dbt project
with .sql files saved in a models directory AND a connection to a data warehouse with raw data
loaded in. A dbt_project.yml is NOT required
When working in dbt, what should be unique to each dbt developer when working in dev? -
Answer Target Schema
What do git branches allow developers to do in dbt? - Answer Separate branches allow dbt
developers to simultaneously work on the same code base without impacting production
Modeling - Answer shaping of your data between raw data and final data
Source tables -> intermediate tables -> final tables
dbt models - Answer SQL select statements that build out the intermediate and final tables
Models have what relationship with views/tables in the data warehouse? - Answer 1-to-1
Config Blocks - Answer tell dbt about the table (ex. table, view, secure, etc.)
, Source Block - Answer Used to reference raw data that has been loaded into the data
warehouse using other tools
Staging Models - Answer should be built 1:1 with underlying source tables; clean and
standardize data; should include redundant transformations in the code; should be materialized
as views; only place you should use a source macro
Intermediate Models - Answer between staging and final models; always build on staging
models; marts folder; look for opportunities to move filters or aggregations into earlier CTEs or
intermediate models; if code is lengthy or can be reused in another case, break that CTE into an
intermediate model; should not be exposed to end users; thizing ephemerally
Fact Tables - Answer Skinny and long table; things that are occurring or have already occurred
Dimensions Tables - Answer people, places, or things; things that may change but don't
change much
What is the default materialization of a model? - Answer View
Config Order of Precedence - Answer Config specified in the a block at the top of the model
will take precedence over config in yml files
How do you build dependencies between models? - Answer Use the ref function in the from
clause of a model
What are Staging Models used for? - Answer Staging models are used to perform light touch
transformations to shape the data to how you wish it looked
What is a benefit of using subdirectories in your model directory in regards to materialization? -
Answer Subdirectories allow you to configure materializations at a folder level for a collection
of models
Sources - Answer represent the raw data that is loaded into the data warehouse; referenced
using the source block
