2. The Scripting
Languages of InfluxDB

3. A look at the scripting language options that can be
used with InfluxDB in the past, present, and future.
Gary Fowler
Product Manager
Gary Fowler is a Product Manager for InfluxDB Cloud at
InfluxData. Gary has nearly three decades of experience
in product management, program management,
software engineering and sales engineering. He
previously held Vice President roles in Product and
Engineering at iPass, Airborne Interactive and Lilee
Systems. Gary resides in Holualoa, Hawaii.
InfluxDB Scripting Languages

4. Agenda
1. Script Language Options with InfluxDB - past,
present, and future
2. Benefits of each Language
3. The new Script Editor in InfluxDB Cloud

5. DEVELOPER HAPPINESS
TIME TO AWESOME
Developers
Cloud native real time applications
requiring time series data store

6. Scripting Languages –
Doing more than Query

7. Learning curve:
STEEP
Learning curve:
LITTLE TO NONE
Capabilities:
QUERY,
TRANSFORM &
ACT
(POWERFUL)
Capabilities:
QUERY ONLY
(EASY)
INFLUXQL
SQL*
FLUX
* Coming soon

8. Flux
• Functional Scripting
Language
• Optimized for ETL,
monitoring, and alerting
• Not just for queries, but
also for transforming and
triggering actions
• Used with OSS, Enterprise,
& current Cloud product

9. Influx Query
Language (InfluxQL)
• SQL-like query language for
working with data in
InfluxDB databases
• InfluxDB’s first Query
Language
• Standard SQL functions +
time series extensions
• /query API available with
OSS, Enterprise, and Cloud
• Cloud UI support coming
soon

10. Coming soon:
Native SQL
• IOx powered InfluxDB
Cloud brings SQL support
• SQL editor within InfluxDB
Cloud in development
(Coming Soon)
• PostgresQL Wire Protocol
Support

11. Future

12. Flux 1.0 • First official versioned
release
Whats in it for the
customer?

13. Planned: InfluxQL
Cloud Support
• InfluxQL Editor option in
InfluxDB Cloud
• Easier transition from OSS
or Enterprise

14. Future: Tasks in
your language
• Use Python or Javascript
within InfluxDB
• Create downsampling and
other tasks that can run
inside InfluxDB cloud
• Data stays internal and in
the cloud

15. Future: Javascript
Tasks
• Use Javascript within the
Cloud UI
• Create downsampling and
other tasks that can run
inside InfluxDB cloud
• Data stays internal and in
the cloud

16. Choosing a Language

17. Selection Factors
Flux SQL InfluxQL Python/Javascript
Need most power and
flexibility
Transition from
relational DB
Already using with OSS
& Enterprise
Python or Javascript
Expertise
Need to transform or
otherwise manipulate
data, not just query it
Previous SQL Expertise Previous InfluxQL or
SQL Expertise
Want to move existing
Python code into the
Cloud
Need to combine data
sources
Only need to do fast,
simple queries
Need to make REST or
other API calls
Easier API transition
from other SQL DBs

18. Selection Factors
Flux SQL InfluxQL Python/Javascri
pt
Need most power and
flexibility
Transition from
relational DB
Already using with OSS
& Enterprise
Python or Javascript
Expertise
Need to transform or
otherwise manipulate
data, not just query it
Previous SQL Expertise Previous InfluxQL or
SQL Expertise
Want to move existing
Python code into the
Cloud
Need to combine data
sources
Only need to do fast,
simple queries
Need to make REST or
other API calls
Easier API transition
from other SQL DBs

19. Examples of ways you can use Flux
The Power of Flux

20. Query from Multiple
Data Sources
import "sql"
import "influxdata/influxdb/secrets"
username = secrets.get(key:
"POSTGRES_USER")
password = secrets.get(key:
"POSTGRES_PASS")
sql.from(
driverName: "postgres",
dataSourceName:
"postgresql://${username}:${password}@loc
alhost:5432",
query: "SELECT * FROM example_table",
)

21. Make outbound
API calls
import "json"
import "http"
lastReported =
from(bucket: "example-bucket")
|> range(start: -1m)
|> filter(fn: (r) => r._measurement == "statuses")
|> last()
|> findColumn(fn: (key) => true, column: "_level")
http.post(
url: "http://myawsomeurl.com/api/notify",
headers: {Authorization: "Bearer mySuPerSecRetTokEn",
"Content-type": "application/json"},
data: json.encode(v: lastReported[0]),
)

22. Downsample Data
option task = {name: "Downsampling CPU",
every: 1m}
data = from(bucket: "my-bucket")
|> range(start: -2h)
|> filter(fn: (r) =>
(r["_measurement"] == "cpu"))
|> filter(fn: (r) =>
(r["_field"] == "usage_user"))
data
|> aggregateWindow(every: 10s, fn: mean,
createEmpty: false)
|> set(key: "agg_type",value: "mean_cpu")
|> to(bucket: "downsampled", org:
"my-org", tagColumns: ["agg_type"])

23. Flux vs. Custom
Application
Eliminates the need to
extract/download a large
dataset to your own
application for evaluation and
transformation

24. Script Editing

25. New Script Editor - InfluxDB Cloud

26. ➔ Multi-Language Editing
➔ Instructional - learn while using
➔ Instructional - help users write
more performant queries
➔ Schema Browsing
➔ Faster Iteration
➔ Loading/Saving/Re-using Scripts
➔ Remove forced visual selection
vs. script editing choice
➔ Invokable Script Editing
Why a new Script Editor?

27. New Script Editor
Language Support
• Flux Supported
• SQL In-Development
• InfluxQL Planned
• Python Planned
• Javascript Planned

28. Instructional Schema Browser
1. Helps introduce new user’s
to InfluxDB Elements via
Contextual Help
2. Helps users understand the
shape of their data &
hierarchical structure

29. Schema — > Flux Sync
• Do queries with no
scripting knowledge
• Shows you the script
that gets created based
on your selections to
help you learn
• Add code to your script
without losing the ability
to choose filters from
the schema browser

30. Load and Save Scripts
• Long awaited feature of the Script Editor
• Basic Load/Save for now, but planning to add versioning,
labels/folder organization, and permissions in the future

31. Edit Invokable
Scripts
You can use the script editor
to edit invocable scripts and
gather their URL

32. Improved
Performance
Improved Performance,
especially when working with
larger Datasets

33. VS Code Extension You can use the Flux VS
Code extension to edit Flux

34. PostgreSQL Wire
Protocol
Write SQL scripts/queries
from your own tools that
support the PostgreSQL Wire
Protocol

35. T H A N K Y O U