Issue with Root Folder Configuration in Databricks Asset Bundles for DLT Pipelines

[Davila]

I'm currently working with Databricks Asset Bundles to deploy my DLT pipelines, but I’ve encountered an issue I can't resolve.

The problem is that I’m unable to configure the root folder within the Asset Bundle in a way that lets me define a custom path for my source code. When I run the deployment, the root folder is incorrectly set to "--", as shown in the image bellow:

Here’s how my bundle resource is currently defined:

resources:
  pipelines:
    my_dlt_pipeline:
      name: my_dlt_pipeline
      libraries:
        - file:
            path: ${workspace.file_path}/src/../../../my_file_1.py
        - file:
            path: ${workspace.file_path}/src/../../../my_file_2.py
      configuration:
        bundle.sourcePath: ${workspace.file_path}/src
      serverless: true
      photon: true
      catalog: ${var.my_catalog} 
      target: my_schema
      channel: CURRENT

When I deploy, the files my_file_1.py and my_file_2.py are correctly listed in the UI, but the root folder still appears as "--".

Has anyone else faced this issue? How can I properly configure the root folder in the Asset Bundle?

[Louis_Frolio]

Hey @Davila , I did some digging and have come with some things you can think about as you work through your issue. Here’s a clear way to think about what you’re seeing and how to proceed.

What’s going on

• That “Root folder” field in the DLT UI is informational only and is populated when the pipeline’s entry is a notebook path (i.e., libraries: - notebook: { path: ... }).

• When your pipeline libraries are Python files (libraries: - file: { path: ... }), DLT does not set a root folder in the UI. In that case the UI shows --. This is expected and has no functional impact on the pipeline.

• The key you’re setting—configuration: bundle.sourcePath—is not a DLT/Workflows-recognized setting for controlling that UI field. (The configuration block passes Spark/Delta configs to the pipeline, but it doesn’t control the “Root folder” display.)

What you can do (practical options)

Option A — Keep using .py files and ignore --

If the pipeline runs and your files are correctly listed (as you showed), you can safely ignore the “Root folder: –”. It’s cosmetic in this mode.

Option B — Use a notebook entrypoint to get a “root” in UI

If you specifically want the UI to show a root folder, make a small entry notebook and import your Python modules from src/:

resources:
  pipelines:
    my_dlt_pipeline:
      name: my_dlt_pipeline
      libraries:
        - notebook:
            path: ${workspace.file_path}/src/entrypoint_notebook
      # You can still keep your .py modules in src/ and import them from the notebook
      catalog: ${var.my_catalog}
      target: my_schema
      channel: CURRENT
      serverless: true
      photon: true

Then in entrypoint_notebook (Python), do your import/dlt definitions and reference code in src/.

Option C — Package code as a wheel (cleaner code layout)

Using Bundles, define a wheel artifact and reference it in your pipeline. The UI “root folder” will still be -- (since the entry isn’t a notebook path), but your code organization and dependency management are cleaner.

Small cleanups to your current bundle

You don’t need the ../../../ gymnastics if your code lives under the bundle’s project tree. Using ${workspace.file_path} already points at the uploaded bundle files for the current target:

resources:
  pipelines:
    my_dlt_pipeline:
      name: my_dlt_pipeline
      libraries:
        - file:
            path: ${workspace.file_path}/src/my_file_1.py
        - file:
            path: ${workspace.file_path}/src/my_file_2.py
      # Remove bundle.sourcePath – it won’t affect the UI
      catalog: ${var.my_catalog}
      target: my_schema
      channel: CURRENT
      serverless: true
      photon: true   # (Note: Serverless clusters already run on Photon; leaving this is fine.)

TL;DR

• Seeing “Root folder: –” when using libraries.file is normal and does not affect your pipeline.

• If you want a populated root folder in the UI, switch your entry to a notebook and import your modules from there.

• Otherwise, simplify your paths and carry on—your current deployment approach is valid.

Hope this helps, Louis.