Quick Start

This guide will help you get started with DBT Column Lineage in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before using DBT Column Lineage, you need to generate dbt artifacts:

cd your-dbt-project

# Compile your dbt project
dbt compile

# Generate the catalog (required for column information)
dbt docs generate

This creates two files in your target/ directory:

• manifest.json - Contains model definitions and dependencies
• catalog.json - Contains column-level metadata

Tip

The catalog file is essential for column-level lineage. Make sure to run dbt docs generate before using this tool.

Interactive Explorer (Recommended)

Launch the interactive web interface:

dbt-col-lineage --explore

If your artifacts are in a custom location:

dbt-col-lineage --explore \
    --manifest path/to/manifest.json \
    --catalog path/to/catalog.json \
    --port 8080  # Optional, defaults to 8000

This starts a local web server where you can explore your lineage interactively and perform impact analysis.

Impact Analysis Workflow

1. Select a column: Choose a model and column from the sidebar
2. Load lineage: The graph will show how data flows through your transformations
3. Analyze impact: Click "Analyze Impact" to see:
4. Which models depend on this column
5. Which transformations use this column (and may need review)
6. Which dashboards and exposures will be impacted

This helps you understand the downstream effects of column changes before you make them.

Common Use Cases

Before modifying a column: - Understand which transformations depend on it - Identify which dashboards need updates - Plan your change strategy

During refactoring: - Track the blast radius of schema changes - Prioritize which models to update first - Ensure no downstream dependencies are missed

Learn More

Check out the Impact Analysis guide for detailed information about using this feature.