Get started with QuestDB from the binaries

This page describes how to download and run QuestDB via binaries. QuestDB comes with a questdb.sh script on Linux or FreeBSD, and a questdb.exe executable on Windows. For macOS, check out Homebrew.

Prerequisites

Java 11

You need to have Java 11 installed locally. To check your installed version:

java -version

If you do not have Java installed, install one of the following supported packages for your operating system:

• AdoptOpenJDK
• Amazon Corretto
• OpenJDK
• Oracle Java

Other Java distributions might work but are not tested.

JAVA_HOME

The environment variable JAVA_HOME needs to point to your Java 11 installation folder.

Download the binaries

The Java runtime is packaged directly with QuestDB and you do not need anything else.

Extract the tarballs

Run QuestDB

This section lists commands to run QuestDB for different OSes. They can be used to run No JVM binaries.

Linux/FreeBSD

./questdb.sh start

Windows

-- To run the instance as a windows service (preferably as a privileged account):

questdb.exe install

questdb.exe start

-- To run a one-off instance in the current work directory:

questdb.exe

The file structure is as the following:

/questdb

├── conf

├── db

├── log

└── public

For information about the file structure, see root directory.

Upgrade QuestDB version

This section lists commands to upgrade QuestDB for different OSes. They can be used to run No JVM binaries.

note

Check the release notes and ensure that necessary backup is completed.

Steps to upgrade the QuestDB version:

• Stop the instance
• Overwrite the bin and lib folders with the new files
• Restart the instance

Linux/FreeBSD

./questdb.sh stop

(Overwrite `bin` and `lib` folders with the new files)

./questdb.sh start

Windows

questdb.exe stop

(Overwrite `bin` and `lib` folders with the new files)

questdb.exe start

Next steps

Once you extracted the tarball, you are ready to use QuestDB. Navigate to our command-line options page to learn more about its usage.