Add model_sql helper to enable isolated unit testing #3476
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Improves Unit testing capabilities.
Enabler for: #2354
Discussed here: https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/testing-with-fixed-data-set/564/8
Related: https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/state-of-testing-in-dbt/1778
Description
It didn't seem to be a good(relatively speaking) method for testing models in isolation. The best was introducing branching conditions in the model based on global settings which at most allowed for 1 test / model.
This PR introduces a new helper-method
model_sql()
(the name is debatable, in previous discussions it was calledcte
) which returns the compiled SQL code of a model but under a different context (allows one to overridesvar
/ref
/source
). Models can be tested without changes outside test code and multiple tests can be build for the same model.I think think approach is a cleaner approach to (unit) testing than what has been proposed so far.
Example use case:
Model
models/addder.sql
Test
tests/adder_0001.sql
_I haven't been writing python for some 6 years and and this is the first time interacting the the DBT core, as such the PR is not yet complete. I would like to get some feedback before investing more time into this. No point in "polishing a turd".
If the maintainer(s) think it holds value i don't mind ticking all the boxes below (or hand it over to someone else)_
Checklist
CHANGELOG.md
and added information about my change to the "dbt next" section.