# About target variables

The `target` variable contains information about your connection to the warehouse.

* **dbt Core:** These values are based on the target defined in your [profiles.yml](../../docs/local/profiles.yml.md) file. Please note that for certain adapters, additional configuration steps may be required. Refer to the [set up page](../../docs/local/connect-data-platform/about-dbt-connections.md) for your data platform.

* **dbt** To learn more about setting up your adapter in dbt, refer to [About data platform connections](../../docs/platform/connect-data-platform/about-connections.md).

  * **[Orchestrator](../../docs/deploy/job-scheduler.md)**: `target.name` is defined per job as described in [Custom target names](../../docs/build/custom-target-names.md). For other attributes, values are defined by the deployment connection. To check these values, click **Deploy** and select **Environments**. Then, select the relevant deployment environment, and click **Settings**.
  * **[Studio IDE](../../docs/platform/studio-ide/develop-in-studio.md)**: These values are defined by your connection and credentials. To edit these values, click on your account name in the left side menu and select **Account settings**. Then, click **Credentials**. Select and edit a project to set up the credentials and target name.

Some configurations are shared between all adapters, while others are adapter-specific. You can also use the [`--target` flag](#using-the---target-flag) to set the active target when running dbt commands.

## Common

| Variable              | Example      | Description                                                                                         |
| --------------------- | ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `target.profile_name` | jaffle\_shop | The name of the active profile                                                                      |
| `target.name`         | dev          | Name of the active target                                                                           |
| `target.schema`       | dbt\_alice   | Name of the dbt schema (or, dataset on BigQuery)                                                    |
| `target.type`         | postgres     | The active adapter being used. One of "postgres", "snowflake", "bigquery", "redshift", "databricks" |
| `target.threads`      | 4            | The number of threads in use by dbt                                                                 |

## Adapter-specific

### Snowflake

| Variable           | Example         | Description                                |
| ------------------ | --------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `target.database`  | RAW             | Database name specified in active target.  |
| `target.warehouse` | TRANSFORM       | Name of the Snowflake virtual warehouse    |
| `target.user`      | TRANSFORM\_USER | The user specified in the active target    |
| `target.role`      | TRANSFORM\_ROLE | The role specified in the active target    |
| `target.account`   | abc123          | The account specified in the active target |

### Postgres/Redshift

| Variable        | Example                                 | Description                               |
| --------------- | --------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| `target.dbname` | analytics                               | Database name specified in active target. |
| `target.host`   | abc123.us-west-2.redshift.amazonaws.com | The host specified in active target       |
| `target.user`   | dbt\_user                               | The user specified in the active target   |
| `target.port`   | 5439                                    | The port specified in the active profile  |

### BigQuery

| Variable         | Example    | Description                                 |
| ---------------- | ---------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `target.project` | abc-123    | The project specified in the active profile |
| `target.dataset` | dbt\_alice | The dataset the active profile              |

## Using the --target flag

Use the `--target` flag when running dbt commands to set the active target and its associated `target.name` value:

```bash
dbt run --target dev
```

```bash
dbt run --target prod
```

You can use the `--target` flag with any dbt command to override the default target specified in your `profiles.yml` file. This is useful for running the same dbt project against different environments (like dev, staging, or prod) without changing your configuration files.

## Examples

### Use `target.name` to limit data in dev

As long as you use sensible target names, you can perform conditional logic to limit data when working in dev.

```sql
select
  *
from source('web_events', 'page_views')
{% if target.name == 'dev' %}
where created_at >= dateadd('day', -3, current_date)
{% endif %}
```

### Use `target.name` to change your source database

If you have specific Snowflake databases configured for your dev/qa/prod environments, you can set up your sources to compile to different databases depending on your environment.

```yml
 
sources:
  - name: source_name 
    database: |
      {%- if  target.name == "dev" -%} raw_dev
      {%- elif target.name == "qa"  -%} raw_qa
      {%- elif target.name == "prod"  -%} raw_prod
      {%- else -%} invalid_database
      {%- endif -%}
    schema: source_schema
```

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