Defining a database source property

models/<filename>.yml

version: 2

sources:
  - name: <source_name>
    database: <database_name>
    tables:
      - name: <table_name>
      - ...

Definition

The database that your source is stored in.

Note that to use this parameter, your warehouse must allow cross-database queries.

BigQuery terminology

If you're using BigQuery, use the project name as the database: property.

Default

By default, dbt will search in your target database (i.e. the database that you are creating tables and views).

Examples

Define a source that is stored in the raw database

models/<filename>.yml

version: 2

sources:
  - name: jaffle_shop
    database: raw
    tables:
      - name: orders
      - name: customers