---
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
seed-paths: [directorypath]
```

</File>

## Definition
Optionally specify a custom list of directories where [seed](/docs/build/seeds) files are located.

## Default

By default, dbt expects seeds to be located in the `seeds` directory. For example, `seed-paths: ["seeds"]`. 

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

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

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

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

## Examples
### Use a directory named `custom_seeds` instead of `seeds`

<File name='dbt_project.yml'>

```yml
seed-paths: ["custom_seeds"]
```

</File>

### Co-locate your models and seeds in the `models` directory
Note: this works because dbt is looking for different file types for seeds (`.csv` files) and models (`.sql` files).

<File name='dbt_project.yml'>

```yml
seed-paths: ["models"]
model-paths: ["models"]
```

</File>

### Split your seeds across two directories
Note: We recommend that you instead use two subdirectories within the `seeds/` directory to achieve a similar effect.

<File name='dbt_project.yml'>

```yml
seed-paths: ["seeds", "custom_seeds"]
```

</File>
