--- title: "Data Catalog for dbt — Document & Discover Models" canonical: "https://www.owox.com/glossary/data-catalog-for-dbt" updated: "2025-05-02" --- # What is a data catalog for dbt? A data catalog for dbt helps document, organize, and manage your dbt models, sources, and metrics. **2 min** read · Updated May 2, 2025 · [Data Modeling](/blog/topics/data-modeling) It connects directly with dbt to centralize metadata, track lineage, and make data assets more discoverable and understandable for teams. This integration ensures that analysts, engineers, and stakeholders can access reliable, well-documented data definitions—all within the context of their dbt workflow. By tying together dbt’s transformation logic with catalog tools, teams gain greater visibility and governance over their modern data stack. ## **Benefits of using data catalog for dbt** Integrating a data catalog with dbt enhances collaboration, governance, and trust in data workflows. It enables teams to discover and document dbt models faster, reducing the time spent manually searching for definitions. A catalog also provides context and lineage, helping teams understand where data comes from and how it flows.  This transparency leads to better decision-making and fewer downstream errors. With consistent naming, metadata, and change tracking, teams can maintain version control and avoid accidental changes to core business logic. ## **Key features of data catalog for dbt** * **Automated Metadata Sync**: Pulls descriptions, columns, and tags from dbt models directly into the catalog. * **Model Lineage Visualization**: Maps how models, sources, and downstream assets are connected. * **Version Control Integration**: Syncs with Git to track changes to dbt models over time. * **Tagging & Search**: Organize models by business domain, owner, or status for easy discovery. * **Role-Based Access**: Controls visibility of data assets by team or function. * **Metric Documentation**: Adds consistent definitions and business logic to key metrics across models. ## The Turning Point OWOX Data Marts See your first report built in real time. _15 minutes._ 1. Connect your data warehouse 2. Pick your metrics 3. Get a live Google Sheets report In the time it takes to write a ticket. Then imagine never writing that ticket again. [Book a Demo](/book-a-call) We'll use your actual use case ## **Types of data catalog tools for dbt** * **Native dbt Docs**: Automatically generated from dbt project files, great for basic documentation and lineage. * **Third-Party Catalogs**: Offer advanced search, access control, and automated metadata sync from dbt. * **BI Tool Integrations (e.g., Looker, Mode)**: Visualize dbt metadata in tools where business users consume data. * **Data Lineage Platforms**: Focus on tracking dependencies and flow of data across dbt, warehouses, and BI tools. * **Governance Platforms**: Combine cataloging with access management, audit logs, and compliance features. ## **How to build a data catalog with dbt** Building a data catalog with dbt starts by enabling dbt docs generate to compile metadata and descriptions into a browsable site. From there, you can enhance documentation by adding column descriptions, tags, and ownership in your dbt project files.  For richer cataloging, integrate dbt with platforms like Secoda or Atlan, which automatically import dbt metadata and lineage. Sync your catalog with Git to maintain version control and ensure updates reflect the latest model changes. Establish standards for naming and tagging to maintain a clear and consistent catalog across teams. ## **From data to decisions: OWOX BI SQL Copilot for optimized queries** If you’re using dbt to transform data and need help querying it efficiently in BigQuery, OWOX BI SQL Copilot is your next step. This AI-powered assistant helps you write SQL queries up to 50x faster, eliminating the guesswork and saving valuable analyst time.  With built-in knowledge of your modeled data and business logic, it empowers teams to explore insights without writing complex code from scratch. Try OWOX BI SQL Copilot and streamline how you move from clean dbt models to decision-ready data in BigQuery. ## Topics [Glossary](/glossary) [Data Modeling](/blog/topics/data-modeling) ## Related terms [Data Modeling](/glossary/data-modeling) [What is Metadata? Definition, Types & Examples](/glossary/metadata) [Data Lineage](/glossary/data-lineage) [Data Dictionary](/glossary/data-dictionary) [Abstraction in Data Modeling](/glossary/abstraction-in-data-modeling) [ACID Compliance](/glossary/acid-compliance) ## Related articles ## Learn more about analytics [data modeling · What is data modeling? The full guide · Feb 27, 2025](/blog/articles/what-is-data-modeling) [bigquery · BigQuery materialized views: when they help, limits and refresh · Oct 16, 2026](/blog/articles/bigquery-materialized-views) [data modeling · Key benefits of data modeling for business reporting · Mar 3, 2025](/blog/articles/benefits-of-data-modeling) ## Customer stories ## Learn how teams ship analytics faster Organizations that scaled analytics without scaling headcount [All case studies →](/blog/success-stories) [Pürblack · "For 10 years I was blind." The day Pürblack® founder stopped guessing · Seconds · to get reports across six channels · Read the story](/blog/success-stories/purblack) [Reformation · How OWOX Reports Helped Reformation Make Data-Backed Decisions · Minutes · from data request to business decision · Read the story](/blog/success-stories/reformation) [WorkSimpli · How OWOX Reports Streamlined Operations for WorkSimpli, Saving Over 10 Hours Weekly · 10hrs+ · saved per week on manual reporting · Read the story](/blog/success-stories/worksimpli) ## What users are saying ## Not testimonials. Comment threads. Real things real customers said — each quote pinned to a specific claim, straight from the quotes database. A3 · re: trusting AI ![Nodari Rizun](https://cdn.owox.ai/www/webflow/6a7b298b2ca5055443187566_nodari-headshot.png/public) Nodari Rizun · Founder & CEO, Pürblack® > _“AI, by the nature of the models, will hallucinate. And because of that, you need something which will create guardrails to ensure that there are no hallucinations, that you can trust your data.”_ C5 · re: opened eyes ![Nodari Rizun](https://cdn.owox.ai/www/webflow/6a7b298b2ca5055443187566_nodari-headshot.png/public) Nodari Rizun · Founder & CEO, Pürblack® > _“I was blind, now I can see. OWOX opened our eyes.”_ E9 · re: results and support PandaDoc · Analytics team > _“We are extremely satisfied with the results achieved through our partnership with OWOX. I'm also impressed by quick and effective support we get from OWOX”_ ## Your New Normal Turn your data into decisions. Governed data marts give you the clean foundation ML needs to actually work. * No AI hallucinations * Analyst-governed definitions * Every number traces to SQL [Get started free](https://www.owox.com/app-signup) ## Book a call You are booked. The invitation is on its way to , with the calendar invite and the meeting link. [Reschedule](#) [Cancel](#) ## Schedule a meeting You are booked. The invitation is on its way to , with the calendar invite and the meeting link. [Reschedule](#) [Cancel](#) ## Links Pages this page links to, on this site and on docs.owox.com. Where the page has a Markdown twin, its address follows the link. - [Data Modeling](https://www.owox.com/blog/topics/data-modeling) — /blog/topics/data-modeling.md - [Book a Demo](https://www.owox.com/book-a-call) — /book-a-call.md - [Glossary](https://www.owox.com/glossary) — /glossary.md - [Data Modeling](https://www.owox.com/glossary/data-modeling) — /glossary/data-modeling.md - [What is Metadata? Definition, Types & Examples](https://www.owox.com/glossary/metadata) — /glossary/metadata.md - [Data Lineage](https://www.owox.com/glossary/data-lineage) — /glossary/data-lineage.md - [Data Dictionary](https://www.owox.com/glossary/data-dictionary) — /glossary/data-dictionary.md - [Abstraction in Data Modeling](https://www.owox.com/glossary/abstraction-in-data-modeling) — /glossary/abstraction-in-data-modeling.md - [ACID Compliance](https://www.owox.com/glossary/acid-compliance) — /glossary/acid-compliance.md - [data modeling · What is data modeling? The full guide · Feb 27, 2025](https://www.owox.com/blog/articles/what-is-data-modeling) — /blog/articles/what-is-data-modeling.md - [bigquery · BigQuery materialized views: when they help, limits and refresh · Oct 16, 2026](https://www.owox.com/blog/articles/bigquery-materialized-views) — /blog/articles/bigquery-materialized-views.md - [data modeling · Key benefits of data modeling for business reporting · Mar 3, 2025](https://www.owox.com/blog/articles/benefits-of-data-modeling) — /blog/articles/benefits-of-data-modeling.md - [All case studies →](https://www.owox.com/blog/success-stories) — /blog/success-stories.md - [Pürblack · "For 10 years I was blind." The day Pürblack® founder stopped guessing · Seconds · to get…](https://www.owox.com/blog/success-stories/purblack) — /blog/success-stories/purblack.md - [Reformation · How OWOX Reports Helped Reformation Make Data-Backed Decisions · Minutes · from data…](https://www.owox.com/blog/success-stories/reformation) — /blog/success-stories/reformation.md - [WorkSimpli · How OWOX Reports Streamlined Operations for WorkSimpli, Saving Over 10 Hours Weekly ·…](https://www.owox.com/blog/success-stories/worksimpli) — /blog/success-stories/worksimpli.md - [Get started free](https://www.owox.com/app-signup)