Better Data Engineering Part 3: Testing & Documentation

Why?

Because data without trust is useless.

Introduction

dbt makes data quality a first-class citizen.

Let’s explore how.

Rule 1: Test Everything That Matters

Start with:

• unique
• not_null
• relationships
• accepted_values

Then add custom tests for business logic.

Rule 2: Document as You Build

dbt docs give you:

• lineage
• descriptions
• tests
• model dependencies

Your warehouse becomes self-explanatory.

Rule 3: Enforce Naming Conventions

Naming conventions reduce cognitive load.

Examples:

• stg_ for staging
• int_ for intermediate
• dim_ for dimensions
• fct_ for facts

Rule 4: Use CI/CD for Data

With dbt + GitHub Actions:

• run tests on pull requests
• prevent broken models from merging
• automate deployments

This is how you build production-grade data pipelines.

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Part 4 will cover performance & optimization.