How to Run XQuery from the Command Line: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this video, we'll explore the powerful world of XQuery and how to execute it directly from the command line. Whether you're a ...

Running XQuery from the command line can be done using various XQuery processors. Here’s a step-by-step guide using two popular processors: BaseX and eXist-db.

Prerequisites

• Ensure you have Java installed, as both BaseX and eXist-db require it.
• Download and install either BaseX or eXist-db from their official websites.

Method 1: Using BaseX

Step 1: Download and Install BaseX

1. Visit the BaseX website and download the latest version.
2. Extract the downloaded archive to a directory of your choice.

Step 2: Open Command Line

• Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux).

Step 3: Navigate to BaseX Directory

Change to the BaseX directory where you extracted the files:

cd path/to/basex

Step 4: Run BaseX Command Line

Start the BaseX command line interface:

./basex

For Windows, you may need to run:

basex.bat

Step 5: Execute XQuery

You can run an XQuery directly in the BaseX shell. For example:

XQUERY "for $i in (1 to 10) return $i"

Alternatively, you can run an XQuery from a file. Create a file named query.xq:

for $i in (1 to 10) return $i

Then execute it using:

./basex query.xq

Method 2: Using eXist-db

Step 1: Download and Install eXist-db

1. Visit the eXist-db website and download the latest version.
2. Extract the downloaded archive to a directory.

Step 2: Open Command Line

• Open your terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux).

Step 3: Navigate to eXist-db Directory

Change to the eXist-db directory where you extracted the files:

cd path/to/exist-db

Step 4: Start eXist-db

Start the eXist-db server:

./bin/startserver

For Windows, you may run:

bin\startserver.bat

Step 5: Execute XQuery

You can execute XQuery using the curl command to send a request to the eXist-db REST API. For example:

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/xquery" -d "for \$i in (1 to 10) return \$i" http://localhost:8080/exist/rest/db/xquery

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can efficiently run XQuery from the command line using either BaseX or eXist-db. Make sure to modify file paths and commands according to your system setup. This allows you to harness the power of XQuery for various data manipulation tasks directly from your terminal.