DataDirect XQuery®

DataDirect XQuery®

The DataDirect XQuery® product is an XQuery processor that enables developers to access and query XML, relational data, SOAP messages, EDI, legacy, or a combination of data sources, and, in addition, provides full update support for relational data. DataDirect XQuery supports the XQuery for Java (XQJ) API, and is easily embeddable into any Java program — it does not require any other product or application server, and has no server of its own. It is recommended for developers who need to combine and efficiently process XML, relational, and legacy data formats in application scenarios such as data integration, XML-based data exchange, XML-driven web sites, and XML publishing. DataDirect XQuery vastly simplifies and enhances the performance of combining and processing different types of data (relational, XML, legacy, EDI, and more) in heterogeneous environments and thus enables developers to build and deploy high-performance applications quickly and efficiently.

Query XML, relational, SOAP messages, EDI, or a combination of data sources

Today's web services, web publishing, data integration, and report generation applications need data from many sources including XML, relational, and legacy formats. DataDirect XQuery uses a single language – XQuery, to process XML, relational data, or a combination of data sources.

Using DataDirect XQuery significantly simplifies application development by reducing the amount of code developers write and maintain to use XML, relational, and legacy data together. The result –less development effort and developers completing projects quickly and efficiently.

Full update support for relational data

DataDirect XQuery allows you to update relational data from XQuery. This is useful for all applications that need to insert, update, or delete data in relational tables. The addition of update functionality makes DataDirect XQuery very well-suited for ETL application scenarios, where it provides efficient XML shredding and transparent relational updates.

Special optimizations for accessing relational data and XML

DataDirect XQuery provides special query optimization and mediation for optimal performance when accessing relational data. The product is designed to move the minimum amount of data out of the database and leverages indexes and tuning defined on the database server, thus providing the best performance possible.

DataDirect XQuery utilizes optimization techniques including document projection and document streaming to provide the performance, scalability and reliability required to process very large XML files. This significantly reduces development efforts and processing time by eliminating intermediate processing of XML data files.

Easily embeddable XQuery component for all major databases

DataDirect XQuery is easily embeddable into applications; it is does not require any other product or application server, has no server of its own, and is not tied to a specific vendor database or database version.

Application developers can write one easy-to-maintain application regardless of the databases and versions they are using – Oracle, DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and more. Their applications are insulated from frequent changes to the database and database vendor tools.

DataDirect XQuery®

Features

• Supports integrating query results from XML, relational databases, legacy formats (for example, comma-separated or EDI files), or a combination of data sources.
• Provides full XQuery update support for relational data.
• Generates a graphical query plan to provide information for optimal query tuning.
• Seamlessly supports Web Services integration in XQuery.
• Transparently converts relevant parts of the XQuery to efficient SQL statements for execution in relational databases.
• Supports XML streaming and document projection to drastically reduce the amount of memory required when processing large XML documents.
• Provides connection pooling by integrating with the application server’s JDBC pool manager.

Standards Support

• Supports W3C Recommendation, January, 2007 of the XQuery specification for both XML and relational sources.
• Supports the latest XQuery API for Java (XQJ) draft - "the JDBC for XQuery".

Database Support

XML Tools for DataDirect XQuery Development

• Stylus Studio: An award-winning XML IDE with advanced XQuery development support including integration with DataDirect XQuery and many other XQuery tools. Stylus Studio is available for Windows 2000 SP2, Windows XP and Windows Vista.
• DataDirect XQuery Eclipse-based editor, an Eclipse plug-in that exposes a specialized XQuery editor to allow users to develop and test XQueries using DataDirect XQuery. The editor has features similar to those found in Stylus Studio’s XQuery editor including:
  • Syntax coloring
  • Auto completion of functions (including DataDirect XQuery specific ones)
  • Visual management of database connections
  • Preview of XQuery result, including the possibility to bind external variables and static context input
  • Scalable rendering of result
  • Support for plan explain rendering

The plug-in is available via the Eclipse download/update mechanism and is free to licensed users of DataDirect XQuery.