diff --git a/guides/metrics-catalog.mdx b/guides/metrics-catalog.mdx
index 9ff3de8..e9030e7 100644
--- a/guides/metrics-catalog.mdx
+++ b/guides/metrics-catalog.mdx
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ All through your Lightdash `.yml` files.
You can control the visibility of metrics in the catalog by creating a new file called `lightdash.config.yml` in the root of your dbt project.
+
+ If you're new to lightdash.config.yml, check out our [getting started guide](/references/lightdash-config-yml#getting-started-with-lightdashconfigyml) to learn how to create and set up this file.
+
+
See this video for an example on how to set this up:
- Parameters are an **experimental** feature. See our [Feature Maturity Levels](/references/feature-maturity-levels) documentation to understand what this means.
-
-
-
- Parameters are defined in the `lightdash.config.yml` file, which is not supported when your project is connected to dbt Cloud.
-
-
**Parameters** are variables that allow you to create **dynamic, reusable queries** in Lightdash. They enable users to interact with and customize queries without needing to write SQL.
Parameters are defined in your `lightdash.config.yml` file and can be referenced in various parts of your Lightdash project.
+
+ If you're new to lightdash.config.yml, check out our [getting started guide](/references/lightdash-config-yml#getting-started-with-lightdashconfigyml) to learn how to create and set up this file.
+
+
## What are parameters?
Parameters are variables that you can define once and reference in multiple places throughout your Lightdash project. They allow you to:
diff --git a/references/lightdash-config-yml.mdx b/references/lightdash-config-yml.mdx
index f9da232..cf1d313 100644
--- a/references/lightdash-config-yml.mdx
+++ b/references/lightdash-config-yml.mdx
@@ -4,11 +4,78 @@ description: 'The lightdash.config.yml file allows you to configure project-wide
sidebarTitle: "lightdash.config.yml"
---
-The `lightdash.config.yml` file is a configuration file that allows you to define project-wide settings for your Lightdash project. This file should be placed in the root of your dbt project.
-
-The `lightdash.config.yml` file is not supported when your project is connected to dbt Cloud.
-
+## What is lightdash.config.yml?
+
+The `lightdash.config.yml` file is an **optional** configuration file that allows you to define project-wide settings for your Lightdash project. Think of it as a way to customize and enhance your Lightdash experience beyond the basic setup.
+
+
+ `lightdash.config.yml` is **not supported** when your project is connected directly to dbt Cloud.
+
+ This file only works with projects that use direct git connections or deploy with the CLI (either from local dbt projects and/or continuous deployment).
+
+
+
+## Do I need this file?
+
+You **don't need** `lightdash.config.yml` to get started with Lightdash! This file is for users who want to:
+
+- **Organize metrics in [Spotlight](/guides/metrics-catalog)** with custom categories and visibility settings
+- **Create parameters** that users can change to modify data across multiple charts and dashboards
+
+If you're just getting started with Lightdash, you can skip this file and come back to it later when you want these advanced features.
+
+
+## Getting started
+
+Before creating a `lightdash.config.yml` file, make sure you have:
+
+1. ✅ A working Lightdash project (completed the [getting started guide](/get-started/setup-lightdash/intro))
+2. ✅ A local dbt project (not connected to dbt Cloud)
+3. ✅ The [Lightdash CLI](/get-started/setup-lightdash/get-project-lightdash-ready#step-1-install-the-lightdash-cli-tool) installed and configured
+
+
+
+
+ Create a new file called `lightdash.config.yml` in the **root directory of your dbt project** - this is the same folder where your `dbt_project.yml` file is located.
+
+ ```bash
+ # Navigate to your dbt project directory
+ cd /path/to/your/dbt/project
+
+ # Create the config file
+ touch lightdash.config.yml
+ ```
+
+
+ Start with a simple configuration. Here's a basic example that sets up Spotlight categories:
+
+ ```yaml
+ # Basic lightdash.config.yml example
+ spotlight:
+ default_visibility: "show"
+ categories:
+ finance:
+ label: "Finance"
+ color: "green"
+ marketing:
+ label: "Marketing"
+ color: "blue"
+ ```
+
+
+ After creating or updating your `lightdash.config.yml` file, deploy the changes to your Lightdash project:
+
+ ```bash
+ lightdash deploy
+ ```
+
+ That's it! Your configuration is now active in your Lightdash project.
+
+
+
+
+
## Configuration options
@@ -24,6 +91,7 @@ parameters:
# ...
```
+
## Spotlight configuration
The `spotlight` section allows you to configure project-wide spotlight settings. This section is required in the lightdash.config.yml file.
@@ -40,23 +108,20 @@ spotlight:
color: "blue"
```
-| Property | Required | Value | Description |
-| :------- | :------- | :---- | :---------- |
-| default_visibility | No | string enum: "show" or "hide" | The default visibility of spotlight metrics. Defaults to `"show"`. |
-| categories | No | Object | Define the categories that can be used in Spotlight on your model yml files. |
+| Property | Required | Value | Description |
+| :------------------- | :------- | :---------- | :---------- |
+| `default_visibility` | No | string enum | The default visibility of spotlight metrics. Defaults to `show`, can also be set to `hide`. |
+| `categories` | No | Object | Define the categories that can be used in Spotlight on your model yml files. |
Each category in the `categories` object requires the following properties:
-| Property | Required | Value | Description |
-| :------- | :------- | :---- | :---------- |
-| label | Yes | string | The label of the category as it will be displayed in Spotlight. |
-| color | No | string enum | The color of the category. If not provided, it will be set to gray. Allowed values: "gray", "violet", "red", "orange", "green", "blue", "indigo", "pink", "yellow". |
+| Property | Required | Value | Description |
+| :------- | :------- | :---------- | :---------- |
+| `label` | Yes | string | The label of the category as it will be displayed in Spotlight. |
+| `color` | No | string enum | The color of the category. If not provided, it will be set to gray. Allowed values: `gray`, `violet`, `red`, `orange`, `green`, `blue`, `indigo`, `pink`, `yellow`. |
-## Parameters configuration
-
-Parameters are an **experimental** feature. See our [Feature Maturity Levels](/references/feature-maturity-levels) documentation to understand what this means.
-
+## Parameters configuration
The `parameters` section allows you to define project-wide parameters that can be referenced in various parts of your Lightdash project.
@@ -81,22 +146,23 @@ parameters:
Each parameter is defined as a key-value pair where the key is the parameter name (must be alphanumeric with underscores or hyphens) and the value is an object with the following properties:
-| Property | Required | Value | Description |
-| :------- | :------- | :---- | :---------- |
-| label | Yes | string | A user-friendly label for the parameter as it will be displayed in the UI. |
-| description | No | string | A description of the parameter. |
-| options | No | Array of strings | A list of possible values for the parameter. |
-| default | No | string or Array of strings | The default value(s) for the parameter. |
-| multiple | No | boolean | Whether the parameter input will be a multi-select. |
-| allow_custom_values | No | boolean | Whether users can input custom values beyond predefined options. |
-| options_from_dimension | No | Object | Get parameter options from a dimension in a model. |
+| Property | Required | Value | Description |
+| :----------------------- | :------- | :------------------------- | :---------- |
+| `label` | Yes | string | A user-friendly label for the parameter as it will be displayed in the UI. |
+| `description` | No | string | A description of the parameter. |
+| `options` | No | Array of strings | A list of possible values for the parameter. |
+| `default` | No | string or Array of strings | The default value(s) for the parameter. |
+| `multiple` | No | boolean | Whether the parameter input will be a multi-select. |
+| `allow_custom_values` | No | boolean | Whether users can input custom values beyond predefined options. |
+| `options_from_dimension` | No | Object | Get parameter options from a dimension in a model. Requires `model` and `dimension` arguments (see below).|
If using `options_from_dimension`, the object requires the following properties:
-| Property | Required | Value | Description |
-| :------- | :------- | :---- | :---------- |
-| model | Yes | string | The model containing the dimension. |
-| dimension | Yes | string | The dimension to get options from. |
+| Property | Required | Value | Description |
+| :---------- | :------- | :----- | :---------------------------------- |
+| `model` | Yes | string | The model containing the dimension. |
+| `dimension` | Yes | string | The dimension to get options from. |
+
### Using parameters in your project
@@ -104,13 +170,13 @@ Parameters defined in the `lightdash.config.yml` file can be referenced in vario
For example, to reference a parameter named `region`:
-```sql
+```yaml
${lightdash.parameters.region}
```
Or using the shorter alias:
-```sql
+```yaml
${ld.parameters.region}
```