What is the main purpose of the dbt docs generate command?

The main purpose of the dbt docs generate command is to create the project documentation website. This command compiles the metadata of your dbt project—such as models, sources, tests, and metrics—into a structured format that can be easily accessed and navigated in a web interface. This documentation is crucial for both current and future members of a data team, as it provides a clear overview of the project's structure and data lineage, promoting better understanding and collaboration. By generating comprehensive documentation, teams can ensure that their data transformations and models are well-understood, leading to more informed decisions and error reductions.

The other options refer to functions that dbt does not primarily focus on. Executing SQL models pertains to running transformations, deleting folders is unrelated to documentation generation, and while dbt can provide debug information during runs, that is not the purpose of the docs generate command. Hence, generating documentation is the unique and critical functionality that distinguishes this command.