How to Use Variables in dbt
Last updated July 25, 2026 · By the SaturnSQL team
Define vars in dbt_project.yml and read them with {{ var('name') }}; pass a second argument as a default for when the var is unset. Override values at runtime with the --vars flag, which takes a YAML/JSON dict string.
Project defaults
# dbt_project.yml
vars:
start_date: '2024-01-01'
excluded_statuses: ['test', 'internal']In a model
SELECT *
FROM {{ ref('stg_orders') }}
WHERE created_at >= '{{ var("start_date", "2020-01-01") }}'Override at runtime
dbt run --vars '{"start_date": "2026-01-01"}'Run this in SaturnSQL
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