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Query ClickHouse® databases

There are a few tools that enable querying ClickHouse® databases. Find out which of them are supported in Aiven and how to use them.

About querying Aiven for ClickHouse®​

To ensure data security, stability, and its proper replication, we equip our managed Aiven for ClickHouse® service with specific features, some of them missing from the standard ClickHouse offer. Aiven for ClickHouse® takes care of running queries in the distributed mode over the entire cluster. In the standard ClickHouse, the queries CREATE, ALTER, RENAME and DROP only affect the server where they are run. In contrast, we ensure the proper distribution across all cluster machines behind the scenes. You don't need to remember using ON CLUSTER for every query.

important

There are limitations on the number of concurrent queries and the number of concurrent connections in Aiven for ClickHouse. Depending on your service plan:

  • max_concurrent_queries ranges from 25 to 400.
  • max_concurrent_connections ranges from 1000 to 4000.

See Aiven for ClickHouse® limits and limitations for details.

For querying your ClickHouse® databases, you can choose between our query editor, the Play UI, and the ClickHouse® client.

Use the query editor​

Aiven for ClickHouse® includes a web-based query editor, which you can find in Aiven Console by selecting Query editor from the sidebar of your service's page.

When to use the query editor​

The query editor is convenient to run queries directly from the console on behalf of the default user. The requests that you run through the query editor rely on the permissions granted to this user.

Examples of queries​

Retrieve a list of current databases:

SHOW DATABASES

Count rows:

SELECT COUNT(*) FROM transactions.accounts

Create a role:

CREATE ROLE accountant

Play UI​

ClickHouse® includes a built-in user interface for running SQL queries. You can access it from a web browser over the HTTPS protocol.

When to use the play UI​

Use the play UI to run requests using a non-default user or if you expect a large size of the response.

Use the play UI​

  1. Log in to Aiven Console, choose the right project, and select your Aiven for ClickHouse service.
  2. In the Overview page of your service, find the Connection information section and select ClickHouse HTTPS & JDBC.
  3. Copy Service URI and go to YOUR_SERVICE_URI/play from a web browser.
  4. Set the name and the password of the user on whose behalf you want to run the queries.
  5. Enter the body of the query.
  6. Select Run.
note

The play interface is only available if you can connect directly to ClickHouse from your browser. If the service is restricted by IP addresses or in a VPC without public access, you can use the query editor instead. The query editor can be accessed directly from the console to run requests on behalf of the default user.