What command in dbt generates executable SQL from source model, test, and analysis files?

The command that generates executable SQL from source model, test, and analysis files in dbt is indeed dbt compile. When you execute this command, dbt processes your models, analyses, and tests to render their corresponding SQL statements. This allows you to see the actual SQL that will be executed in the database, which can be beneficial for debugging and understanding how your dbt project will operate.

This command does not run the SQL against your database; instead, it transforms the dbt models into SQL files and stores them in the 'target/compiled' directory of your dbt project. This is particularly useful in development and testing phases, where you may want to review or inspect the SQL without executing it.

The other commands serve different purposes. For instance, running dbt run actually builds and executes the models, dbt test runs the tests defined in your project, and dbt build compiles models and runs tests and snapshots, but all of these involve executing tasks rather than merely compiling SQL. Thus, dbt compile is the specific command for generating executable SQL without executing it.