---
title: "Definition"
source: dbt Core Documentation
source_url: https://github.com/dbt-labs/docs.getdbt.com
licence: Apache-2.0
domain: data-and-analysis
subdomain: dbt-docs
date_added: 2026-04-25
---

<File name='dbt_project.yml'>

```yml
docs-paths: [directorypath]
```

</File>

## Definition
Optionally specify a custom list of directories where [docs blocks](/docs/build/documentation#docs-blocks) are located.


## Default

<VersionBlock firstVersion="1.9">

By default, dbt will search in all resource paths for docs blocks (for example, the combined list of [model-paths](/reference/project-configs/model-paths), [seed-paths](/reference/project-configs/seed-paths), [analysis-paths](/reference/project-configs/analysis-paths), [test-paths](/reference/project-configs/test-paths), [macro-paths](/reference/project-configs/macro-paths), and [snapshot-paths](/reference/project-configs/snapshot-paths)). If this option is configured, dbt will _only_ look in the specified directory for docs blocks.

</VersionBlock>

import RelativePath from '/snippets/_relative-path.md';

<RelativePath 
path="docs-paths"
absolute="/Users/username/project/docs"
/>

- ✅ **Do**
  - Use relative path:
    ```yml
    docs-paths: ["docs"]
    ```

- ❌ **Don't**
  - Avoid absolute paths:
    ```yml
    docs-paths: ["/Users/username/project/docs"]
    ```

## Example

Use a subdirectory named `docs` for docs blocks:

<File name='dbt_project.yml'>

```yml
docs-paths: ["docs"]
```

</File>

**Note:** We typically omit this configuration as we prefer dbt's default behavior.
