How to Set Up dbt on Mac (Step-by-Step)

So, you’re ready to set up dbt on your Mac? Awesome! Whether you’re starting fresh or need to set things up for an existing project, this guide will walk you through everything you need. We’ll cover creating a Python virtual environment (a must for dbt), setting up Git, configuring your profiles.yml file, and installing dbt—all without getting too technical.

You’ll have dbt installed and ready to transform your data like a pro by the end. Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Create Your Project Folder

First things first: You’ll need a folder where your dbt project will live. Think of this folder as your dbt command center, holding your models, virtual environment, and configuration files.

Open Terminal (you can use Spotlight Search—hit Cmd + Space and type “Terminal”). Type the following commands to create and enter your project folder:

mkdir my_dbt_project
cd my_dbt_project
        

Done! You’re inside your new project folder.

Step 2: Set Up Git

If you’re using version control (and you should!), the next step is to initialize Git. You’ve got two options here: start a brand-new repo or clone an existing dbt project.

Starting from scratch? Run:

git init        

Boom—your Git repo is ready to track changes.

Already have a dbt project in GitHub (or GitLab)? Clone it instead:

git clone <repository-url>
cd <project-folder-name>        

Now you’ve got all your existing files locally!

Step 3: Install Git and Python (If You Don’t Have Them)

Chances are, Git and Python are already installed on your Mac. Let’s double-check:

Check for Git- run this in Terminal:

git --version        

If you see a version number, you’re good. If not, install Git with Homebrew:

brew install git        

Check for Python- run:

python3 --version        

If that doesn’t work, install Python via Homebrew too:

brew install python3        

Step 4: Create and Activate a Python Virtual Environment

Now comes one of the most important parts: setting up a virtual environment (a.k.a. venv). This is like giving dbt its own space to live, separate from any other Python projects on your machine. It helps prevent version conflicts and keeps your setup clean.

Create the virtual environment- run:

python3 -m venv venv        

This creates a folder named (venv) inside your project.

Activate the virtual environment- run:

source venv/bin/activate        

If you see (venv) at the beginning of your terminal prompt, you’re in! Everything you install from now on (like dbt) will stay inside this environment.

Step 5: Set Up the profiles.yml File

The profiles.yml file is dbt’s way of knowing how to connect to your data warehouse (like Snowflake, BigQuery, or Postgres). This file usually lives in a hidden .dbt folder in your home directory.

Finding or Creating the File

To check if you already have the file, run:

ls ~/.dbt        

If you see profiles.yml, great! You can open and edit it. If not, create one by running:

mkdir ~/.dbt
touch ~/.dbt/profiles.yml
        

Example Configuration (for Snowflake)

Here’s a sample profiles.yml to get you started:

my_dbt_project:
  outputs:
    dev:
      type: snowflake
      account: <account_name>
      user: <username>
      password: <password>
      role: <role>
      database: <database_name>
      warehouse: <warehouse_name>
      schema: <schema_name>
  target: dev        

Replace the placeholders with your actual Snowflake details.

Step 6: Install dbt

You’re almost there! Now that your virtual environment is active, you can install dbt. Choose the right dbt adapter for your data warehouse (e.g., dbt-snowflake, dbt-postgres).

Install dbt- run:

(Replace dbt-snowflake with your preferred adapter if needed.)

pip install dbt-core dbt-snowflake        

Step 7: Verify Everything’s Working

To make sure dbt is installed correctly, run:

dbt --version        

You should see dbt’s version and your installed plugins listed. If that worked, congratulations—you’re all set!

Troubleshooting Tips

If you run into any issues, here are some quick fixes:

Homebrew Isn’t Installed- If you get an error when trying to use Homebrew, you can install it with this command:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"        

Permission Errors: Sometimes, you might need admin access for certain installations. Try adding sudo before the command if you get a “Permission Denied” error.

What’s Next?

Now that dbt is up and running, you can start transforming your data! Some next steps to explore:

• Running basic dbt commands like dbt run and dbt test.
• Diving into dbt’s docs to learn more about models, tests, and macros.
• Setting up dbt Cloud if you’re interested in deploying dbt in a team environment.

Congrats on making it through the setup! ?? If you have any questions, drop a comment or let Database Tycoon know what you’d like to learn next. Happy dbt-ing!