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KDB/Q Language

In this segment of the blog, we discuss crucial and foundational aspects of the KDB/Q programming language, its history and evolution and why you should use KDB/Q. By exploring these key concepts, readers gain insights into why KDB/Q stands as a formidable choice for data-intensive applications, offering unparalleled efficiency and versatility in handling time-series data and big datasets.

📄️ More Than a Database: The KDB/Q Mindset

Two years into the DefconQ journey, I realised I’ve never actually taken the time to explain what KDB/Q really is. For those of us who work with it daily, it may seem obvious, but for newcomers, the name KDB often leads to a common misconception: that it’s “just” a database. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. KDB/Q is so much more, it's an array programming language with an in memory and on disk, column-based database functionality. KDB/Q lets you build entire frameworks, from real-time data streaming and in-memory or on-disk databases to powerful analytical and reporting engines, and just about anything else you can imagine. But beyond the technology itself, its real magic lies in how it transforms the way you think, it fundamentally reshapes your approach to solving problems. In this short blog post, I’ll explain what KDB/Q truly is, and why I find it such an elegant and powerful piece of technology.