DDrona4U
Sign inCreate account
My learningDBT Interview QuestionsLesson 20
What does the ref() function do, and why is it critical to dbt?

Lesson 20

What does the ref() function do, and why is it critical to dbt?

The ref() function in DBT is used to reference another model inside the project. It helps DBT automatically manage dependencies, build models in the correct order, and maintain clean, reliable data pipelines.

Get the full lesson

Sign in to unlock everything beyond the preview — it's free.

  • Take timestamped notes as you watch
  • Read the full transcript and download resources
  • Join the discussion and track your progress
Sign inCreate free account

Curriculum

20 lessons · 39m

0/20 lessons done39m left
  1. 0101:56

    What is DBT & Why Is It Important?

    01:56

  2. 0201:58

    Does dbt do the E, the L, or the T in ELT — and why does that distinction matter?

    01:58

  3. 0302:04

    DBT Core vs Platform vs Fusion Engine

    02:04

  4. 0402:01

    Why DBT Is an Analytics Engineering Tool

    02:01

  5. 0501:58

    Main Files & Folders in a DBT Project

    01:58

  6. 0601:54

    DBT Prerequisites Before Installation

    01:54

  7. 0701:55

    DBT Works With Your Data Warehouse, Not Instead of It

    01:55

  8. 0802:06

    DBT vs Traditional ETL Tools (Informatica & SSIS)

    02:06

  9. 0901:52

    When would you NOT use dbt?

    01:52

  10. 1001:58

    DBT vs Apache Airflow: Can They Work Together?

    01:58

  11. 1102:02

    Purpose of dbt_project.yml & Key Sections

    02:02

  12. 1201:54

    Sources vs Models in DBT

    01:54

  13. 1301:53

    Declaring and Referencing Sources in DBT

    01:53

  14. 1401:42

    Seeds in DBT: What They Are & When Not to Use Them

    01:42

  15. 1501:54

    What is the difference between a seed and a source

    01:54

  16. 1602:24

    Source Freshness in DBT: Configuration & Testing

    02:24

  17. 1701:58

    Organizing 200+ Models in a Maintainable DBT Project

    01:58

  18. 1802:03

    Staging / Intermediate / Marts Folder Convention in DBT

    02:03

  19. 1901:55

    What is a dbt model, and what is its basic structure?

    01:55

  20. 01:55

    What does the ref() function do, and why is it critical to dbt?

    01:55