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Get started with KDB-X

This page explains how to get started with KDB-X

Why KDB-X?

KDB-X was built to handle massive amounts of time-series data with extremely low latency, especially in areas like capital markets where traditional databases couldn’t keep up with the volume or speed required for analytical tasks. KDB-X solved this by using an in-memory, columnar architecture optimized for both real-time and historical data, processing billions of events and querying trillions of records with ease. It combined data ingestion and analysis in one system and introduced q, a concise and powerful language allowing developers to elegantly express their ideas and making those same developers more efficient.

Over time, however, the needs of developers have changed. While performance still matters, there's an increasing emphasis on usability. Developers want clear documentation, good tooling, package management, and support for popular languages like Python. Developers also expect systems that are easy to get started with and integrate well with their existing data stacks.

KDB-X keeps the core performance and compatibility of KDB-X but unites it with a focus on developer experience through improved accessibility, extensibility, and interoperability. It introduces architectural improvements that enable community contributions, making it highly extensible. It supports Python, SQL, and q, and is being built to work with open data formats like Parquet and Iceberg for interoperability. Lastly, it's built for the AI era with transformative agentic AI interaction and scalable machine learning integration. Our vision is to make it easier for developers to build, extend, and deploy high-performance analytics applications without compromise.

About KDB-X

KDB-X is a modern, modular analytics platform under active development by KX for real-time, AI-driven workloads. Built as the next generation of kdb+, it unifies with existing applications while introducing a framework that encourages community-driven contributions to the evolving, open, and modern data ecosystem.

KDB-X eliminates the need to stitch together disconnected time-series, vector, and AI workloads from separate tools. Developers can build and ship data-intensive applications faster—with support for Python, SQL, and q—in one unified, scalable, and developer-friendly environment designed for both structured and unstructured data.

KDB-X is designed for organizations that need to analyze massive volumes of time-series data with exceptional speed and efficiency. Originally, KDB-X set the standard for high-performance analytics in demanding environments like capital markets, thanks to its in-memory, columnar architecture and the expressive q language. However, modern data teams require more than just raw performance—they need tools that are easy to use, integrate, and extend.

KDB-X builds on the proven strengths of KDB-X, adding a developer-friendly experience with clear documentation, robust tooling, and support for popular languages such as Python and SQL. It’s engineered for seamless integration with open data formats like Parquet and Iceberg, making it easy to fit into existing data ecosystems. With advanced support for AI and machine learning, KDB-X empowers developers to build, extend, and deploy high-performance analytics applications quickly and confidently. Whether you’re working with real-time or historical data, KDB-X delivers the speed, flexibility, and interoperability needed for today’s data-driven world.

Key advantages

  • Unified analytical data stack: Seamlessly handle streaming, batch, and historical data in real time through a single compute and data environment.
  • Polyglot access: Support for Python, SQL, and q in a single platform designed for modern data workflows.
  • High-performance engine: Built on the proven KDB-X kernel, delivering industry-leading speed for time-series data processing.
  • Built-in vector search and AI capabilities: Leverage both structured and unstructured data for unified queries and insights.
  • Streaming analytics runtime: Optimized for low-latency execution on high-volume, time-sensitive data streams.
  • Backward compatibility: Supports existing q code, APIs, and workflows, preserving prior investments while enabling next-generation workloads.
  • Modular architecture and extensibility: Designed from the ground up for modular integration, making it easier to manage libraries and expand functionality over time.
  • Deployment agility: Operate self-managed in the cloud or on-premises environments with consistent control and performance.

What’s included?

KDB-X includes a KDB-X Community Edition that has limited resource capacity, while a paid licensed edition is available with full capacity, enterprise support, service-level agreements (SLAs), and options for integration into production environments. For more details on inclusions and limitations, refer to our usage restrictions.

Ready to get started, install KDB-X now! Follow the instructions in the KDB-X Install guide.