initialize-dbt-package

name	initialize-dbt-package
description	Rename the dbt package identity after copying dbt-package-template—dbt_project.yml name, adapter.dispatch macro_namespace, Jinja refs, integration_tests project, Docker/CI defaults, docs, and skill examples. Use when forking the template, initializing a new macro package repo, or replacing dbt_package_template with a real package name.
license	Apache-2.0
compatibility	Designed for Agent Skills compatible clients loading skills from `.claude/skills/`.
metadata	{"owner":"yu-iskw","repository":"dbt-package-template"}

Initialize / rename dbt package (from template)

Use this skill when someone copies dbt-package-template and must make the repository their package: one consistent package name across dbt config, Jinja, SQL, tests, and tooling defaults.

Goal

• Pick a valid dbt project name (typically snake_case / underscores).
• Propagate it everywhere the template currently says dbt_package_template (and related integration project, Docker, CI, docs).
• Keep adapter.dispatch(..., macro_namespace) identical to root dbt_project.yml name (see macros/CLAUDE.md).

Gather inputs

1. PACKAGE_SNAKE — value for root dbt_project.yml name (e.g. acme_dbt_utils).
2. PACKAGE_INTEGRATION — usually {PACKAGE_SNAKE}_integration_tests; must match integration_tests/dbt_project.yml name and the models: top-level key.
3. PACKAGE_KEBAB — for Docker container names (e.g. acme-dbt-utils); derive from PACKAGE_SNAKE by replacing _ with -.

Workflow

1. Open references/init-package-checklist.md and work through sections in order.
2. Edit macros first (adapter.dispatch second argument), then SQL ({{ PACKAGE_SNAKE.macro(...) }}), then YAML projects, then profiles / Docker / CI / scripts / noxfile, then docs and **.claude/skills/** examples.
3. Confirm the local package entry in integration_tests/packages.yml still points at local: ../, then run dbt deps from integration_tests/ after the root name is final. Treat integration_tests/uv.lock separately as Python environment locking, not dbt package resolution.
4. Run rg 'dbt_package_template|dbt-package-template' from the repo root (exclude vendor dirs) and fix stragglers.
5. Verify with make run-unit-tests and make run-integration-tests from the repo root (AGENTS.md).

Output expectations

When you use this skill, state explicitly:

• the three chosen names (PACKAGE_SNAKE, PACKAGE_INTEGRATION, PACKAGE_KEBAB)
• files changed (grouped: macros, SQL, dbt_project, infra, docs, skills)
• confirmation that no adapter.dispatch namespace disagrees with root dbt_project.yml name
• test commands run and result

Guardrails

• Renaming is not only dbt_project.yml; missing SQL or dispatch updates will break compilation.
• Do not rename third-party packages in integration_tests/packages.yml unless the user asked to change dependencies.
• Postgres database/schema defaults in CI/Docker are environmental; they may match PACKAGE_SNAKE or follow org policy—document what you chose.

Read next

• references/init-package-checklist.md
• macros/CLAUDE.md
• integration_tests/CLAUDE.md