Orchestra dbt Slim CI setup

Retrofit Slim CI onto an existing production dbt Orchestra pipeline (one pipeline for prod and CI). Generate or patch repo artifacts, validate pipeline YAML, and leave a verification checklist. Do not assume warehouse or Git connections can be created via API.

When to use

• User asks to set up Slim CI, dbt CI/CD in Orchestra, or run-pipeline for dbt PR checks.
• Workspace is a dbt repo or user supplies dbt repo paths and pipeline YAML location.
• Default scope: retrofit an existing production pipeline; do not create a separate CI-only pipeline unless the user opts out of shared latest_production.

Companion skill

After setup, failed PR checks: use pr-slim-ci-orchestra-debug (project or org copy). Do not merge debug steps into this skill.

Workflow

1. Collect inputs — Follow references/inputs-matrix.md. Ask for must-haves; discover from repo when in a dbt project.
2. Detect context — In dbt repo: read dbt_project.yml, profiles.yml, orchestra/, .github/workflows/. Outside: require repo URL, pipeline YAML path, and where GHA lives. If already configured per Orchestra docs, report and run verification only.
3. Load Orchestra docs — Follow references/orchestra/mcp-playbook.md (Orchestra Documentation MCP, then Orchestra MCP).
4. Inventory pipeline — list_pipelines; read YAML. Checklist: references/retrofit-checklist.md.
5. Patch pipeline YAML — Minimal changes from templates/pipeline-inputs-snippet.yml. Git-backed: commit YAML; do not use update_pipeline. Orchestra-backed only: validate_pipeline then create_pipeline / update_pipeline.
6. GitHub Actions — Add or patch workflow from templates/github-dbt-slim-ci.yml. Separate pipeline repo: Action branch = pipeline YAML branch; dbt_branch only in run_inputs.
7. dbt prerequisites — CI/prod targets in Orchestra connection profiles; excludes in Slim command; bootstrap latest_production (successful prod run on default branch).
8. Secrets checklist — Document ORCHESTRA_API_KEY, optional pipeline/task id secrets, GHA environment → Orchestra environment mapping. Warehouse creds stay in Orchestra dbt connection.
9. Validate — validate_pipeline when definition available; dbt parse when possible. start_pipeline with Slim runInputs only with user approval.
10. Report — Use references/completion-report.md.

Guardrails

• One production pipeline for prod + Slim CI unless user wants isolated artifact history.
• Do not implement manual S3 manifest export unless user rejects Orchestra latest_production.
• Do not commit API keys or connection secrets.
• Do not broaden scope to full pipeline authoring during retrofit.
• Git-backed vs Orchestra-backed determines commits vs MCP create/update.
• Cite Orchestra docs via MCP; treat any single repo as a pattern, not universal defaults.

Out of scope

Non-GitHub CI (document start_pipeline MCP tool / CLI as follow-up), new warehouse/Git OAuth setup, Lightdash preview CI, auto-fixing failing Slim CI runs.

Doc index

Full input matrix and MCP steps: references/orchestra-slim-ci.md.