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KDB-X Guides Overview

This page explains what the Guides section is, why it matters, and introduces the available learning paths and resources.

KDB-X Guides are your starting point for learning how to use KDB-X effectively. They help you build a strong foundation in the q language, understand how KDB-X operates under the hood, and see how these core principles come together within the KDB-X platform. This section brings together conceptual overviews, tutorials, and practical examples to help you move from learning the basics of q syntax to building efficient, scalable analytics workflows in KDB-X.

Whether you’re new to q or looking to deepen your understanding of the language and its ecosystem, this section provides a structured learning path – from first principles to advanced topics – using real examples and hands-on guidance.

Before diving in, here’s a quick look at the key technologies that make up the KDB-X platform:

  • q – an expressive, array-oriented programming language purpose-built for high-performance time-series and vector analytics. Its concise syntax and functional paradigm make it ideal for querying, transforming, and analyzing large, in-memory datasets in real
  • KDB-X – KX’s next-generation, modular analytics platform for real-time, AI-driven workloads. Built on the proven performance of kdb+, it unifies time-series, vector, and AI processing in one scalable environment. With native support for q, SQL, and Python, KDB-X enables developers to build and deploy data-intensive applications faster – for both structured and unstructured data – without stitching together separate tools or systems.
  • KDB-X Python – a powerful Python interface to q, bridging traditional data science workflows with KX technology. It allows seamless conversion between q and Python objects, enabling users to query data, run analytics, and integrate AI/ML models using Python libraries – all within one unified environment.

How it fits together

KDB-X Guides helps you progress from language fundamentals to building scalable systems with data and AI:

q language → KDB-X platform → KDB-X Python / AI integrations

Want to dive straight in?

  1. Start with the Brief Introduction to q and KDB-X
  2. Continue with the Q for Mortals Overview
  3. Explore KDB-X Python
  4. Review practical topics in the How-To Guides
  5. Finish with the Glossary

What you’ll learn

By exploring the Guides section, you will:

  • Understand the fundamentals of the q language
  • Learn how KDB-X extends these technologies into a scalable, cloud-native analytics platform
  • Explore q’s syntax, data types, and database structures through Q for Mortals
  • Use KDB-X Python and AI libraries to extend KDB-X for advanced analytics
  • Apply your knowledge to real-world scenarios

Learning path

1. Brief introduction to q and KDB-X

Start here for a concise, high-level overview of q and the KDB-X platform. Learn what makes q unique, how it relates to SQL and Python, and where KDB-X fits in modern analytics workflows.

Brief Introduction to q and KDB-X

2. Q for Mortals

Your structured path through the q language. Q for Mortals, by Jeff Borror, introduces q step by step – from basic data types and list processing to functions, tables, and queries – then connects those concepts to the kdb+ database engine.

  • Start your journey here: Q for Mortals Overview
  • When you’re ready to understand how q runs in its native database environment, continue to: Introduction to kdb+
  • The full Q for Mortals series is available under Guides → Q for Mortals.

3. AI libraries

Explore how KDB-X integrates with AI and vector search capabilities. Learn how to build intelligent data systems using similarity search, fuzzy filters, and other ML-powered indexing and retrieval techniques.

4. KDB-X Python

Learn how to connect Python and q using KDB-X Python – KX’s official Python interface for KDB-X. Use KDB-X Python to query, transform, and analyze data in q from Python notebooks and AI workflows.

KDB-X Python Overview

5. General guidance

Get comfortable working in the KDB-X environment.
Learn how to use the q terminal (REPL), set up your workspace, and configure your development environment.

6. Practical how-to guides

The How-To series provides step-by-step examples of how to use q and KDB-X for real-world tasks. You'll find them grouped by topic for easy navigation:

Basics

Querying

I/O and communication

Interact with databases

Manage streaming data

Working with code

7. Tutorials and examples

Explore tutorials that show how to apply q and KDB-X concepts to real-world data problems.
Includes end-to-end workflows, example queries, and performance demonstrations.

Tutorials and Examples Overview

8. Glossary

A quick reference to key q and KDB-X terms, data types, and functions.

Glossary

Next steps

  1. Start with the Brief Introduction to q and KDB-X
  2. Continue with the Q for Mortals Overview
  3. Explore KDB-X Python
  4. Review practical topics in the How-To Guides
  5. Finish with the Glossary