Use dbt Copilot beta

Use dbt Copilot to generate documentation, tests, semantic models, and code from scratch, giving you the flexibility to modify or fix generated code.

This page explains how to use dbt Copilot to:

• Generate resources — Save time by using dbt Copilot’s generation button to generate documentation, tests, and semantic model files during your development.
• Generate and edit code — Use natural language prompts to generate SQL code from scratch or to edit existing SQL file by using keyboard shortcuts or highlighting code.

Generate resources

Generate documentation, tests, and semantic models resources with the click-of-a-button using dbt Copilot, saving you time. To access and use this AI feature:

1. Navigate to the dbt Cloud IDE and select a SQL model file under the File Explorer.
2. In the Console section (under the File Editor), click dbt Copilot to view the available AI options.
3. Select the available options to generate the YAML config: Generate Documentation, Generate Tests, or Generate Semantic Model.
   • To generate multiple YAML configs for the same model, click each option separately. dbt Copilot intelligently saves the YAML config in the same file.
4. Verify the AI-generated code. You can update or fix the code as needed.
5. Click Save As. You should see the file changes under the Version control section.

Example of using dbt Copilot to generate documentation in the IDE

Generate and edit code beta

dbt Copilot also allows you to generate SQL code directly within the SQL file in the dbt Cloud IDE, using natural language prompts. This means you can rewrite or add specific portions of the SQL file without needing to edit the entire file.

This intelligent AI tool streamlines SQL development by reducing errors, scaling effortlessly with complexity, and saving valuable time. dbt Copilot's prompt window, accessible by keyboard shortcut, handles repetitive or complex SQL generation effortlessly so you can focus on high-level tasks.

Use Copilot's prompt window for use cases like:

• Writing advanced transformations
• Performing bulk edits efficiently
• Crafting complex patterns like regex

Use the prompt window

Access dbt Copilot's AI prompt window using the keyboard shortcut Cmd+B (Mac) or Ctrl+B (Windows) to:

1. Generate SQL from scratch

• Use the keyboard shortcuts Cmd+B (Mac) or Ctrl+B (Windows) to generate SQL from scratch.
• Enter your instructions to generate SQL code tailored to your needs using natural language.
• Ask dbt Copilot to fix the code or add a specific portion of the SQL file.

dbt Copilot's prompt window accessible by keyboard shortcut Cmd+B (Mac) or Ctrl+B (Windows)

2. Edit existing SQL code

• Highlight a section of SQL code and press Cmd+B (Mac) or Ctrl+B (Windows) to open the prompt window for editing.
• Use this to refine or modify specific code snippets based on your needs.
• Ask dbt Copilot to fix the code or add a specific portion of the SQL file.

3. Review changes with the diff view to quickly assess the impact of the changes before making changes

• When a suggestion is generated, Copilot displays a visual "diff" view to help you compare the proposed changes with your existing code:
  • Green: Means new code that will be added if you accept the suggestion.
  • Red: Highlights existing code that will be removed or replaced by the suggested changes.

4. Accept or reject suggestions

• Accept: If the generated SQL meets your requirements, click the Accept button to apply the changes directly to your .sql file directly in the IDE.
• Reject: If the suggestion don’t align with your request/prompt, click Reject to discard the generated SQL without making changes and start again.

5. Regenerate code

• To regenerate, press the Escape button on your keyboard (or click the Reject button in the popup). This will remove the generated code and puts your cursor back into the prompt text area.
• Update your prompt and press Enter to try another generation. Press Escape again to close the popover entirely.

Once you've accepted a suggestion, you can continue to use the prompt window to generate additional SQL code and commit your changes to the branch.

Edit existing SQL code using dbt Copilot's prompt window accessible by keyboard shortcut Cmd+B (Mac) or Ctrl+B (Windows)