What is dbt analysis?

In dbt, an analysis is typically a SQL file where you write queries to analyze and explore your transformed data. These queries are similar to regular SQL queries but are specifically focused on extracting insights from your dbt models. Unlike models, which are used to transform and structure raw data into meaningful tables, analyses are more ad-hoc and exploratory.

Here’s a brief overview of analyses in dbt:

Location: Analyses are typically stored in the analysis directory within your dbt project. You organize them based on the questions you want to answer or the insights you want to derive.

Ad-Hoc Queries: Unlike models that define transformations on the raw data, analyses are often ad-hoc and exploratory. You might use analyses to answer specific questions, investigate data issues, or create custom reports.

Use of Ref Function: In analyses, you can use the ref function to reference your dbt models. This allows you to build on the transformations defined in your models and perform further analysis on the structured data.

Example - 
-- analysis/my_analysis.sql
with product_sales as (
    select
product_id,
        sum(sales_amount) as total_sales
    from {{ ref('sales_by_product') }}
    group by 1
)

select * from product_sales;

In this example, the analysis builds on the sales_by_product model, aggregating sales by product.

Interactivity: dbt provides an interactive web-based interface called dbt Cloud, where you can run and visualize analyses. This allows analysts and data scientists to interactively explore data and share insights with others in the organization.

Collaboration: Analyses can be shared and version-controlled like other dbtartifacts, fostering collaboration among team members. They can also be scheduled to run automatically, ensuring that the insights are always up-to-date.

We at Helical have more than 10 years of experience in providing solutions and services in the domain of data and have served more than 85+ clients. We are also DBT partners, hence in case if you are looking for certain assistance, consulting, services please do reach out on nikhilesh@Helicaltech.com