Install dbt

(Applies to dbt v2.0 and later)

Get dbt running on your machine in a few minutes. Installing dbt gives you Fusion by default: the current, free-to-use experience for v2. Choose your preferred installation method:

Install dbt Preview

pip

python -m pip install --pre dbt

To upgrade later, run python -m pip install --upgrade --pre dbt.

Homebrew (macOS)

brew tap dbt-labs/dbt
brew install dbt-labs/dbt/dbt

To upgrade later, run brew upgrade dbt.

curl (macOS/Linux)

curl -fsSL https://public.cdn.getdbt.com/fs/install/install.sh | sh -s -- --update

This installs the dbt binary to ~/.local/bin/dbt and adds that directory to your $PATH. See uninstalling a curl install if you ever need to remove it.

Close and reopen your terminal (or run exec $SHELL) so the new $PATH is recognized.

To upgrade later, run dbt system update.

winget (Windows)

winget install --id dbtLabs.dbt --exact

To install a specific version, run winget install --id dbtLabs.dbt --exact --version <version>.

Windows (PowerShell)

irm https://public.cdn.getdbt.com/fs/install/install.ps1 | iex

Close and reopen your shell (or run Start-Process powershell) so the new Path is recognized.

To upgrade later, run dbt system update.

• Verify your installation:

  dbt --version

• With dbt v2, you can start using the Fusion experience right away. For the best v2 editor experience, install the dbt VS Code extension to use features like autocomplete, inline errors, and lineage.

  For full LSP features and other richer Fusion capabilities, run dbt login to sign in with a free dbt platform account:

  dbt login

Refer to the dbt VS Code extension docs for more info.

If you or your org has a strict requirement to use the open-source runtime, install it here.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and resolutions:

• dbt command not found: Add the installation location to your $PATH.
• Version conflicts: Check that no other dbt Core or dbt CLI versions are installed or active on your machine.
• Installation permissions: Make sure your user account can install software locally.

FAQs

•  Can I revert to my previous dbt installation?

  Yes. To test a new install without affecting your existing workflows, use a separate environment or virtual machine.

•  Can I download the Apache 2.0 runtime only?

  Yes if you need to use the Apache 2.0 runtime, you can install dbt Core 2.0, the open-source project behind Fusion.

•  How do I uninstall a curl (install.sh) install?

  These steps apply only if you installed Fusion with the curl (install.sh) script. If you used pip, Homebrew, or winget, remove dbt with that tool instead (for example, pip uninstall dbt or brew uninstall dbt).

  1. Uninstall dbt. Run the built-in uninstall command to clear cached files and state. This also removes the binary for you:

     dbt system uninstall

  2. Clean up your shell profile. The installer adds a $PATH export and a dbtf alias to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc, each under its own comment. Open that file and delete these lines:

     # Added by dbt installer
     export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin"
     
     # dbt aliases
     alias dbtf=$HOME/.local/bin/dbt

     Then reload your profile:

     source ~/.zshrc   # or source ~/.bashrc

More information about Fusion

• About the dbt extension
• Supported features matrix
• Install dbt
• Quickstart for Fusion
• Upgrade guide
• Fusion license agreement

Next steps

• Configure environment variables to manage credentials.
• Configure your profiles.yml file.
• Configure your data platform connection.
• Create your first dbt project using the dbt init command.

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