About dbt Core versions
dbt Core releases follow semantic versioning. The policies and expectations on this page assume prior familiarity with semantic versions. For more on how we use semantic versions, see "How dbt Core uses semantic versioning."
Further reading
- To learn how you can use dbt Core versions in dbt Cloud, see "Choosing a dbt Core version."
- To learn about installing dbt Core, see "How to install dbt Core."
- To restrict your project to only work with a range of dbt Core versions, or use the currently running dbt Core version, see
require-dbt-versionanddbt_version.
Version support prior to v1.0
- We are no longer releasing new patches for minor versions prior to v1.0.
- As of June 30, 2022, dbt Cloud will remove support for dbt Core versions older than v1.0. At that point, we will also remove v0.20 and v0.21 from the version dropdown on this website.
- You can read the specific version migration guides to understand changes to each version. Each migration guide will link to pages of documentation that were added or updated. Those pages of documentation will also include "Changelog" notes, which you can toggle to see notes on specific changes from each older version.
Version support starting with v1.0
Minor version support
Minor versions include new features and capabilities. They will be supported for one year (12 months) from the date of their initial release. This is a definite commitment. Our mechanism for continuing to support a minor version is by releasing new patches: small, targeted bug fixes. Whenever we refer to a minor version, such as v1.0, we always mean its latest available patch release (v1.0.x).
While a minor version is officially supported:
- You can use it in dbt Cloud. For more on dbt Cloud versioning, see "Choosing a dbt version."
- You can select it from the version dropdown on this website, to see documentation that is accurate for use with that minor version.
Ongoing patches
During the 12 months of ongoing support, we will continue to release new patch versions that include fixes.
Active Support: In the first few months after a minor version's initial release, we will patch it with "bugfix" releases. These will include fixes for regressions and net-new bugs that were present in the minor version's original release.
Critical Support: When a newer minor version is available, we will transition the previous minor version into "Critical Support." Subsequent patches to that older minor version will be "security" releases only, limited to critical fixes related to security and installation.
After a minor version reaches the end of its critical support period, one year after its initial release, no new patches will be released.
Future versions
We aim to release a new minor "feature" every 3 months. This is an indicative timeline ONLY. For the latest information about upcoming releases, including their planned release dates and which features and fixes might be included in each, always consult the dbt-core repository milestones.
| dbt Core | Initial Release | Active Support Until | Critical Support Until | dbt Cloud Until | Final Patch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v0.X | (various dates) | v1.0.0 release | Dec 3, 2021 | See below ⚠️ | v0.21.1 |
| v1.0 | Dec 3, 2021 | v1.1.0 release | Dec 3, 2022 | Dec 2022 | |
| v1.1 | Apr 28, 2022 | v1.2.0 release | Apr 28, 2023 | Apr 2023 | |
| v1.2 | Jul 26, 2022 | v1.3.0 release | Jul 26, 2023 | Jul 2023 | |
| v1.3 | Oct 2022 | v1.4.0 release | Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 |
Italics: Future releases, NOT definite commitments. Shown for indication only.
⚠️ v0.X Non-Supported Period
We are giving accounts until the end of June 2022 to upgrade to dbt 1.0 or later. Pre-dbt 1.0 versions will not receive patch fixes, and our support team will no longer assist with dbt version specific help on non-supported versions of dbt. Additionally, jobs running dbt versions prior to 1.0 will start experiencing service disruptions before the end of the year 2022 and will be removed from the dbt Cloud context by end of the year 2022. You will receive additional email and in app notification before disruption to your production jobs.
Best practices for upgrading
Because of our new version practice, we've outlined best practices and expectations for dbt users to upgrade as we continue to release new versions of dbt Core.
Upgrading to new patch versions
We expect users to upgrade to patches as soon as they're available. When we refer to a "minor version" of dbt Core, such as v1.0, we are always referring to the latest available patch release for that minor version. We encourage you to structure your development and production environments so that you can always install the latest patches of dbt-core and any adapter plugins. (Note that patch numbers may be different between dbt-core and plugins. See below for an explanation.)
Upgrading to new minor versions
You may continue to use any minor version of dbt while it is officially supported. During that period, it will remain available in dbt Cloud, and in the version dropdown on this website. While we do not expect users to immediately upgrade to newer minor versions as soon as they're available, there will always be some features and fixes that are only available for users of the latest minor version.
Trying prereleases
All dbt Core versions are available as prereleases before the final release. "Release candidates" are available for testing, in production-like environments, two weeks before the final release. For minor versions, we also aim to release one or more "betas," which include new features and invite community feedback, 4+ weeks before the final release. It is in your interest to help us test prereleases—we need your help!
How dbt Core uses semantic versioning
Like many software projects, dbt Core releases follow semantic versioning, which defines three types of version releases.
- Major versions: To date, dbt Core has had one major version release: v1.0.0. When v2.0.0 is released, it will introduce new features and break backwards compatibility for functionality that has been deprecated.
- Minor versions, also called "feature" releases, include a mix of new features, behind-the-scenes improvements, and changes to existing capabilities that are backwards compatible with previous minor versions. They will not break code in your project that relies on documented functionality.
- Patch versions, also called "bugfix" or "security" releases, include fixes only. These fixes could be needed to restore previous (documented) behavior, fix obvious shortcomings of new features, or offer critical fixes for security or installation issues. We are judicious about which fixes are included in patch releases, to minimize the surface area of changes.
We are committed to avoiding breaking changes in minor versions for end users of dbt. There are two types of breaking changes that may be included in minor versions:
- Changes to the Python interface for adapter plugins. These changes are relevant only to adapter maintainers, and they will be clearly communicated in documentation and release notes.
- Changes to metadata interfaces, including artifacts and logging, signalled by a version bump. Those version upgrades may require you to update external code that depends on these interfaces, or to coordinate upgrades between dbt orchestrations that share metadata, such as state-powered selection.
How we version adapter plugins
When you use dbt, you're using dbt-core together with an adapter plugin specific to your database. You can see the current list in Supported Data Platforms. Both dbt-core and dbt adapter plugins follow semantic versioning.
dbt-core and adapter plugins coordinate new features and behind-the-scenes changes in minor releases. When it comes to fixing bugs, sooner is better—so patch versions are released independently for dbt-core and plugins.
What does that mean? Patch version numbers are likely to be different between dbt-core and the adapter plugin(s) you have installed. Major and minor version numbers should always match.
As an example, on March 1, you may find you're using dbt-core==1.0.3 with dbt-snowflake==1.0.0. The most important thing is that you're using the latest patch available for each (v1.0.x). If you're running dbt locally, you can use the dbt --version command to see which versions you have installed:
$ dbt --version
installed version: 1.0.3
latest version: 1.0.3
Up to date!
Plugins:
- snowflake: 1.0.0 - Up to date!
It's likely that newer patches have become available since then, so it's always important to check and make sure you're up to date!