We’re excited to announce that dbdiagram and DBML now support visualizing data lineage: how your data moves and transforms across tables.
You define dependencies with the new Dep syntax:
// one line per step
Dep: stripe_payments -> daily_orders [note: 'Cleaning: drops voided charges']
// or map the columns, and pull several tables into one
Dep monthly_revenue_build {
daily_orders.amount -> monthly_revenue.revenue
daily_orders.ordered_at -> monthly_revenue.month
refunds.amount -> monthly_revenue.refunds
note: 'Aggregation: orders by month, minus refunds.'
}
Why it matters:
- Design before you build. One line per step is enough to sketch a whole pipeline in plain text, and get review on its shape before any SQL exists.
- Answer “where does this number come from”. Map single columns, then click one in the diagram and every table it travelled through lights up.
- Schema and flow on one canvas.
RefandDepdraw as different edge styles, so you can show them together or separately, whichever the diagram needs. - Notes explain what each step does. Add a
noteto any dependency to describe the step in plain words, so the meaning sits beside the arrow instead of in a separate doc.
Reading lineage straight from a dbt project or your warehouse is what we are working on next.
Note: Data lineage is available on all plans, with no limit on project size.
Read the full syntax docs →Please give this feature a try and let us know what you think.
From dbx team with 