What command is used for invoking a macro in dbt?

In dbt, invoking a macro is done using the command designed specifically for executing operations defined within macros, which is "dbt run-operation." This command allows you to run a macro that resides within your dbt project, which is useful for performing complex transformations, administrative tasks, or even generating artifacts based on logic defined in your macro.

The context for using "dbt run-operation" is essential because it emphasizes how dbt allows users to extend its functionality through custom logic encapsulated in macros. Users can create reusable pieces of code that they can invoke as needed, which is a powerful feature for maintaining clean and efficient workflows.

The other commands serve different purposes: "dbt clean" is used to remove the contents of the target directory, "dbt test" is for running tests on your models to ensure data quality, and "dbt compile" is meant for compiling models into SQL without running them. While they are all important commands within the dbt ecosystem, none of these facilitate the specific action of invoking macros as effectively as "dbt run-operation" does.