# About dbt snapshot command

The `dbt snapshot` command executes the [Snapshots](../../docs/build/snapshots.md) defined in your project. Snapshots record changes to your source data over time by implementing [type-2 Slowly Changing Dimensions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slowly_changing_dimension#Type_2:_add_new_row). Run `dbt snapshot` on a schedule (for example, daily) to capture changes in your source tables.

Define snapshots in YAML with a strategy and `unique_key`; refer to [Snapshot configurations](../snapshot-configs.md) for details on how to set them up. You can also run snapshots as part of [dbt build](./build.md).

dbt looks for snapshots in the directories listed in `snapshot-paths` in your `dbt_project.yml` file. By default, dbt uses the `snapshots/` directory. You can specify multiple paths if you organize snapshots in more than one folder.

## Usage

To view the full list of supported options in your terminal, run:

```shell
dbt snapshot --help
```

Use `--select` or `--exclude` to choose which snapshots run. For selection syntax, refer to [Node selection syntax](../node-selection/syntax.md). `dbt snapshot` also supports common command-line options, such as `--target` and `--threads`. For flag details (including logging options), refer to [About flags (global configs)](../global-configs/about-global-configs.md).

Use `--vars` when your snapshot SQL references values with the `var()` function. For syntax, precedence, and more examples, refer to [Defining variables on the command line](../../docs/build/project-variables.md#defining-variables-on-the-command-line).

```shell
dbt snapshot --select my_snapshot --vars '{"cutoff_date": "2026-01-01"}'
```

Snapshots ignore full refresh

Snapshots ignore both the `full_refresh` config and the `--full-refresh` flag. A command such as `dbt build --full-refresh` or `dbt snapshot --full-refresh` that includes a snapshot node runs the snapshot as normal — it won't drop or recreate the snapshot table, so existing snapshot history is preserved.

Compiled SQL for snapshots

Starting dbt Core v1.12, you can inspect the SQL generated for this snapshot by running [`dbt compile`](./compile.md) or `dbt compile --select orders_snapshot`.

Open the compiled SQL in `target/compiled/` to inspect or debug the generated queries. Each snapshot is compiled into its own SQL file, even if multiple snapshots are defined in the same source file.

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