SQL is a standard language for storing, manipulating and retrieving data in relational databases.
As mentioned in the previous article, it is possible to configure the way you wish your collections to be stored and queried in SQL.
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To set this up, you will need to use the following field parameters and settings:
In InterSystems IRIS, when you compile a persistent class, you automatically get a SQL table. Sometimes, there are situations that require having a slightly (or not so slightly) different names/options in SQL compared to Object model. Here are some of the settings that you can change to make it happen.
They define the "Face" of your class when it appears as a table in the SQL catalog.
SqlTableName allows you to change the name of SQL table that holds objects from your class. This is especially useful, when your class name uses reserved SQL words in a name, e.g. Group.
Hello everyone,
The Certification Team of InterSystems Learning Services is excited to announce the release of our new InterSystems IRIS SQL Professional exam. It is now available for purchase and scheduling in the InterSystems exam catalog. This exam is geared towards IRIS SQL experts, and it deals with a variety of advanced IRIS SQL topics that you can find in the exam page.
I joined InterSystems less than a year ago. Diving into ObjectScript and IRIS was exciting, but also full of small surprises that tripped me up at the beginning. In this article I collect the most common mistakes I, and many new colleagues, make, explain why they happen, and show concrete examples and practical fixes. My goal is to help other new developers save time and avoid the same bumps in the road.
The issue: ObjectScript/IRIS ships with many system classes and packages (%Library, %SYS, %Persistent, %SQL, etc.).
We have a large, existing production taking a feed from a single up-stream system and sending to a wide-variety of downstream systems. One of the downstream systems has been decommissioned, and we have deleted the classes that implemented the routing/transformations from the namespace, and deleted the components from the production (Wardview and WV Out in the diagram below). We now want to delete the messages associated with those components without deleting the messages associated with any other components.
Ever since I started using IRIS, I have wondered if we could create agents on IRIS. It seemed obvious: we have an Interoperability GUI that can trace messages, we have an underlying object database that can store SQL, Vectors and even Base64 images. We currently have a Python SDK that allows us to interface with the platform using Python, but not particularly optimized for developing agentic workflows. This was my attempt to create a Python SDK that can leverage several parts of IRIS to support development of agentic systems.
We were testing upgrades on our internal systems recently, and were initially surprised to see a change in some instances of SQL behavior. On further investigation, the changes make a lot of sense, and are easy to adapt to. But, to hopefully save you some time and provide additional information in case this is something you too find curious or interesting, we thought we would share our understanding of the changes and how we got around it to preserve previous behavior where desired.
Starting in IRIS version 2024.2.
This demo walks you through the new Table Partitioning feature in IRIS SQL, explaining what it does and how it works along the way. We'll only use a few dozen rows to prove the concept, but obviously the capability is focused on datasets many orders of magnitude larger.
If you'd like a shorter, higher-level introduction to Table Partitioning, check out the online learning module Managing Tables with Partitioning in InterSystems IRIS
ℹ️ Table Partitioning is included in IRIS 2026.1 as an experimental feature
This is the second part of an article pair where I walk you through:
As mentioned the goal is to give you a smooth “first run” experience.
Customer support questions span structured data (orders, products 🗃️), unstructured knowledge (docs/FAQs 📚), and live systems (shipping updates 🚚). In this post we’ll ship a compact AI agent that handles all three—using:
The 2025.1.4 and 2024.1.6 maintenance releases of InterSystems IRIS® data platform, InterSystems IRIS® for Health, and InterSystemsHealth Connect™ are now Generally Available (GA). These releases include the fixes for a number of recently issued alerts and advisories, including the following:
While starting with Intersystems IRIS or Cache, developers often encounter three core concepts: Dynamic Objects, Globals & Relational Table. Each has its role in building scalable and maintainable solutions. In this article, we'll walk through practical code examples, highlight best practices, and show how these concepts tie together.
1. Working with Dynamic Objects:
Dynamic objects (%DynamicObject and %DynamicArray) allow developers to manipulate JSON-like structures directly in Objectscript. They are especially useful for modern applications that need to parse, transform or generate JSON.
hi 😊,
i'm able to LOAD DATA in IRIS from a rather complex, say Oracle's, query. It works pretty well but requires a target table created aforehand:
LOAD DATA FROM JDBC CONNECTION SOME_OTHER_SERVER QUERY 'complex query here' INTO TargetTableis there a way to base such target table on the same query ?
CREATE FOREIGN TABLE seems to require a column definition which I would prefer to be taken from the query
CREATE TABLE AS SELECT seems to be for local queries and other methods, like Linked Table Wizard or %SYSTEM.SQL.Schema.
If you already know Java (or .Net) and perhaps also have used other document databases (or looking for one), but you are new to the InterSystems world, this post should help you.
InterSystems IRIS Cloud Document is a fully managed document database that lets you store JSON documents and query them with familiar SQL syntax, delivered as a cloud service managed by InterSystems.
In this article pair I’ll walk you through:
The goal is to give you a smooth “first run” experience.
Since I started using Claude Code, my motivation to create things has skyrocketed.
Previously, even if I wanted to build something, actually doing the coding felt like a hassle, so unless there was a very strong need, I rarely went as far as programming. But now, if I just jot down the specifications, Claude Code handles the rest automatically, resulting in a dramatic improvement in productivity.
I come from a generation native to ObjectScript, so I used to feel some hesitation when it came to switching to Python.
The InterSystems Ready 2026 Conference is approaching fast — it's a great time to prepare and check your knowledge before attempting one of the Certification exams onsite .
InterSystems certifications aren't easy: you need to practice with questions aligned to the real exam objectives.
exam-prep.es is a free platform built for exactly that: practice, identify weak spots, and show up better prepared.
Hi Community,
An error occurs during the analysis process in the FHIR SQL Builder. How can I identify the exact cause of the error?
Migrating from Oracle, MSSQL, or other purely relational database systems to a multimodel InterSystems IRIS is a strategic decision that requires careful planning and execution. While this transition offers significant benefits, including enhanced performance, scalability, and support for modern architectures, it also comes with challenges. In this article I will highlight some of the considerations connected to coding to ensure a successful migration. I will leave everything connected to an actual migration of structures and data outside the scope of this article.
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First, when you're considering migrating to a different database system, you need to understand your business logic, whether it's on the side of the application (application server) or the database server. Basically, where do you have your SQL statements that you will need to potentially rewrite?
InterSystems IRIS 2026.1 is here, and it’s packed with powerful enhancements designed to help organizations scale their data management like never before. Whether you’re dealing with the operational aspects of managing massive datasets or looking to optimize storage costs, this release brings a host of features to simplify life with your data and meet the growing challenges of very large datasets.
In my previous article, Using LIKE with Variables and Patterns in SQL, we explored how the LIKE predicate behaves in different scenarios, from Embedded SQL to Dynamic SQL, and what happens to performance when wildcards and variables come into play. That piece was about getting comfortable writing a working LIKE query. But writing SQL that works is only the starting point. To build applications that are reliable, scalable, and secure, you need to understand the best practices that underpin all SQL, including queries that use LIKE.
This article takes the next step. We’ll look at a few key points to help strengthen your SQL code, avoid common pitfalls, and make sure your SELECT statements run not just correctly, but also efficiently and safely. I'll use SELECT statements with LIKE predicate as an example along the way, showing how these broader principles directly affect your queries and their results.
*This is what Gemini came up with for this article, kinda cute.
Hi Communtiy,
I am a begineer who is working and trying to understand Intersystems. I am developing an Ensemble interface which receives a XML message and converts it into HL7 format without using enslib.HL7 classes.
Requirement
I have created the following Task to kick off a Ens.BusinessService to execute a SQL query and process the results
Class OSU.Workday.TerminationsTask Extends %SYS.Task.Definition
{
Parameter TaskName As STRING = "OSU - Workday Termination Update";
Method OnTask() As %Status
{
#Dim sc as %Status
#Dim ex as %Exception.AbstractException
set sc = $$$OK
try{
// create the service
#Dim tService As OSU.DataSource.Workday.TermService
Set tServiceConfigName = "OSU.DataSource.Workday.TermService"
// Call BusinessService
$$$ThrowOnError(##class(Ens.Director).CreateBusinessService(tServiceConfigName,.tService))
$$$ThrowOnError(tService.Adapter.OnTask())
set (tHint) = ""
}catch ex{
set tSC = ex.AsStatus()
}
quit tSC
}
ClassMethod TestTask()
{
set tTask = ##class(OSU.Workday.TerminationsTask).%New()
$$$ThrowOnError(tTask.OnTask())
}
/// Location and Revision of this file in Perforce (Auto-updating)
Parameter SrcVer = "$Id$";
}
Are you familiar with SQL databases, but not familiar with IRIS? Then read on...
About a year ago I joined InterSystems, and that is how IRIS got on my radar. I've been using databases for over 40 years—much of that time for database vendors—and assumed IRIS would be largely the same as the other databases I knew.
Apache Superset is a modern data exploration and data visualization platform. Superset can replace or augment proprietary business intelligence tools for many teams. Superset integrates well with a variety of data sources.
And now it is possible to use with InterSystems IRIS as well.
An online demo is available and it uses IRIS Cloud SQL as a data source.
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Apache Superset provides a bunch of examples, which were successfully loaded to IRIS without any issues, and displayed on example dashboards.
Hello to all the esteemed members of the InterSystems developer community in Spanish!
Although I often consult the developer community and have occasionally left a question here, this will be my first article, and what better occasion to do so than by participating in the 3rd technical article contest.
The topic I will cover in this article is the different tools that InterSystems IRIS provides us to optimize both the databases and the queries we run, as well as the new types of storage and data.
SQL injection remains one of the most critical vulnerabilities in database-driven applications, allowing attackers to manipulate queries and potentially access or compromise sensitive data. In InterSystems IRIS, developers have access to both Dynamic SQL and Embedded SQL, each with distinct characteristics. Understanding how to use them securely is essential for preventing SQL injection.
Dynamic SQL constructs queries as strings at runtime. While this offers flexibility, it also creates a vulnerability if user input is not handled correctly.
Hi Community,
We're super excited to share that we’ve just launched a new free, interactive tutorial designed especially for those who are new to InterSystems IRIS and looking for a clear, practical introduction to its core concepts.
🧑🏫 Data Models of InterSystems IRIS 🧑💻
We are trying to track down significant growth within our Namespaces, one big culprit is Ens.AppData (EnsLib.SQL.Snapshot).
Within many of our BPL's we use EnsLib.SQL.Snapshot to return Results from External SQL Stored Procedures or Query's. The same EnsLib.SQL.Snapshot context variable is used for many of these calls within a BPL.
Is there something we should be doing at the end of the BPL to ensure that EnsLib.SQL.Snapshot gets cleaned up and purged from Ens.AppData?
How can I create a Task that tells a Ens.BusinessService to execute its SQL query using the EnsLib.SQL.InboundAdapter?
So far I have come up with
Class OSU.Workday.TerminationsTask Extends %SYS.Task.Definition
{
Parameter TaskName As STRING = "OSU - Workday Termination Update";
Method OnTask() As %Status
{
try{
// Call BusinessService
set tSC = ##class(Ens.Director).CreateBusinessService("OSU.DataSource.Workday.TermService",.tService)
if $IsObject(tService){
set inputMessage = ##class(Ens.StringContainer).%New()
set inputMessage.StringValue = "1"
Set tSC = tService.ProcessInput(inputMessage,.output)
} Else {
Set tSC = $$$ERROR($System.Status.GetErrorCodes(tSC), "Failed to create Business Service")
}
}catch ex{
set tSC = ex.AsStatus()
}
quit tSC
}
/// Location and Revision of this file in Perforce (Auto-updating)
Parameter SrcVer = "$Id: //custom_ccrs/us/OSUM/OSUMHSCUSTOM/UAT/cls/OSU/Workday/TerminationsTask.xml#20 $";
}
I’m trying to find a way to manage globals from our Java application. We have two separate features:
Managing tables normally using SQL
Managing globals, since some globals exist without class or table definitions
Cache version : Cache for UNIX (Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86-64) 2016.1.1 (Build 108U_SU), Thu Jul 7 2016 09:39:04 EDT
I tried to retrieve the globals tree, update node values, and append nodes using SQL by calling stored procedures, but I couldn’t find any procedures for adding, updating, or deleting nodes.
I also tried using cacheextreme.jar to access the globals API directly.