Tests and Contracts Make Lineage Trustworthy

A lineage graph tells you where logic flows. Tests and contracts tell you whether the flow is safe. In dbt, lineage is most valuable when it sits next to expectations. A downstream team needs to know more than "this mart depends on those sources." They need to know the model still has unique business keys, expected value ranges, stable schema, and documented semantics. Tests verify behavior Tests answer questions like: is every order unique, are there null customer IDs, did a status column drift outside the allowed set, and do joined tables still resolve as expected? They turn assumptions into…

Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.

Already have an account? Sign in