YAML selectors

Learn how to store asset selectors for easy access and readability.

Overview

YAML selectors allow you to define and manage complex asset selection criteria in a single selectors.yml file. Storing selectors improves code readability by allowing the reuse of complex asset selection statements across your Y42 space. Moreover, selectors are version-controlled using your space's Git repository, ensuring they remain synchronized with your build history.

Create and use YAML selectors

Create a selectors file

In Code Editor mode, create a new selectors.yml file in the project's root directory. This file must be place at the top-level of your Y42 project, alongside dbt_project.yml.

y42

alerts
models
orchestrations
...
dbt_project.yml
selectors.yml

Define your selectors

Define your selectors in the selectors.yml file with the following properties:

name (required)
description (optional)
definition (required) - Write all asset selection logic within this YAML key.

selectors.yaml

selectors:
  - name: my_selector
    description: "a reusable complex selector"
	definition: 
        union:
            - intersection:
                - method: source
                  value: snowplow
                  childrens_parents: true
                - method: tag
                  value: nightly
        - method: path
          value: models/export
        - exclude:
            - intersection:
                - method: package
                  value: snowplow
                - method: config.materialized
                  value: incremental
            - method: fqn
              value: export_performance_timing

Utilize a selector

Once you've committed the selectors.yml file to the space's Git repository, you can apply a selector using the --selector command flag.

Terminal

y42 build --selector my_selector

Build command reference Scheduled builds