---
id: dbt-core-experimental-parser
version: "2.0.0b1"
license: Apache-2.0
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# dbt-core-experimental-parser — Build analytics the way engineers build applications

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 2.7M/mo

## What it is and what it does

dbt-core-experimental-parser is the parsing component of dbt Core v2.0, a complete rewrite of the dbt framework in Rust. It handles the first phase of dbt project execution—reading and parsing dbt models, tests, and configuration files into an internal representation that the compiler and executor can work with. The package is part of dbt's shift toward performance and scalability: v2.0 aims to parse and compile projects dramatically faster than v1, especially on large codebases, while enforcing a stricter language specification to catch errors at parse time rather than runtime.

This is an alpha release, meaning the parser's behavior, APIs, and output formats are not yet stable. The broader v2.0 architecture produces Parquet artifacts (alongside JSON for backward compatibility) and is distributed as a self-contained binary with no external Python dependencies at runtime. The experimental parser package itself has no listed runtime dependencies, suggesting it may be a thin wrapper or internal module. It is intended for users willing to accept API changes and for teams evaluating the v2.0 rewrite before its stable release.

Use it for:

- Evaluate dbt Core v2.0 performance on your existing dbt projects before the stable release
- Test compatibility of your dbt models and tests with the stricter v2.0 language specification
- Benchmark parse and compile times on large projects to assess v2.0 readiness for your team
- Contribute feedback to dbt Labs on the alpha parser behavior and API design
- Explore Parquet artifact output and new documentation capabilities in v2.0

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Experimental parser for dbt Core v2.0 (alpha), a ground-up Rust rewrite of the data transformation framework that parses, compiles, and executes dbt projects faster than v1.

No, not for production use. This is an alpha package with unstable APIs and behavior; install only if you are actively testing dbt Core v2.0 or contributing feedback to dbt Labs. For current data transformation workflows, use the stable dbt Core v1 branch (1.latest) instead. Consider revisiting when v2.0 reaches stable release.

## Install

pip install dbt-core-experimental-parser
uv add dbt-core-experimental-parser
poetry add dbt-core-experimental-parser

## Installing dbt-core-experimental-parser

Before you install: High install friction: distributed as a beta tarball with no runtime dependencies listed, but requires Python >=3.9. Active maintenance (last commit 2026-08-14, released 2026-08-10), though alpha status means APIs and behavior may change before stable release.

License in practice: Apache 2.0 permissive license allows commercial and private use with attribution. Suitable for teams needing code review rights or open-source compliance.

Quickstart:

# Install
pip install dbt-core-experimental-parser==2.0.0b1

# Import and initialize (exact usage depends on v2.0 alpha API)
import dbt_core_experimental_parser

Python >=3.9 required. Alpha status means the API and on-disk formats may change before stable release; not recommended for production workflows without acceptance of breaking changes.

Verify before relying:

- Exact public API surface and entry points for the experimental parser module
- Whether this package is intended for direct use or as an internal dbt dependency
- Compatibility matrix with specific dbt adapters (Snowflake, BigQuery, Postgres, etc.)
- Performance benchmarks vs. dbt Core v1 on real-world projects

## Package facts

- License: Apache-2.0 (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 2.7M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

dbt core v2 parser, rust dbt parser, data transformation build tool, dbt project compiler, analytics engineering framework, dbt experimental parser, fast dbt parsing, data-transformation, alpha-release, rust-rewrite

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