kinetica-execute

name	kinetica-execute
description	Activate for INTERACTIVE EXPLORATION, QUERYING, and ADMINISTRATION of an existing Kinetica GPU database via its CLI — running SQL queries, inspecting table schemas and row counts, browsing data, one-shot data import/export, graph analytics (shortest path, PageRank, TSP), geospatial filtering, WMS map tile rendering (heatmaps, contours, rasters, class-breaks, labels, isochrones from x/y or WKT data), EXPLAIN plans, system table queries, table monitoring, security configuration, and database administration. Trigger on requests like "what tables are in schema X?", "how many rows in foo?", "show me the schema of bar", "find records where lat is in this bbox", "render a heatmap of column Y", "EXPLAIN this query", or any request where the user wants an answer FROM the database rather than code that talks to it. Activate even for simple tasks like checking table counts or running a quick query. Do NOT use when the user is writing an application, SDK client, or production data pipeline in source code — those go to kinetica-code.
license	Apache-2.0
compatibility	Requires Node.js 18+ or Python 3.8+ and network access to a Kinetica database
argument-hint	<sql-or-action>
user-invocable	true
metadata	{"author":"kinetica","version":"1.0.55"}

Kinetica DB Skill

Full database operations skill for Kinetica GPU database with dual-runtime support (Node.js and Python). Execute queries, explore schemas, insert/update/delete data, run graph analytics, apply geospatial filters, generate visualizations, manage imports/exports, monitor tables, or generate reusable code in either language.

Kinetica REST API Access (curl)

Note: curl is a session-only fallback — never a cacheable runtime. Use it only when the user explicitly requests raw REST calls, or when neither Node.js nor Python SDK is available. Never save runtime: curl in the Setup Cache.

When you need to call Kinetica's REST API directly via curl, you MUST read references/curl-api-reference.md first — it covers authentication (.env loading), required flags, common endpoints, response parsing with jq, and critical gotchas (always POST, never use -u, data_str double-encoding).

Setup Cache (Fast Path)

Run this check before anything else. It avoids redundant interpreter-based dependency detection across sessions by caching setup state in auto-memory.

1. Read cache — Check if the auto-memory MEMORY.md (already loaded into context) contains a ## Kinetica Setup Cache section. If not found → skip to Skill Path Resolution below
2. Validate — Run a single Bash command to verify the cached state still holds (use the Skill path value from the cache as <skill_path>):
   • If credentials: dotenv → include test -f .env && grep -q KINETICA_DB_SKILL_URL .env
   • If credentials: env-vars or credentials: inline → no credentials file check needed
   • If runtime: nodejs → include test -f <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.js && test -f <skill_path>/node_modules/@kinetica/gpudb/package.json
   • If runtime: python → include test -f <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py; if venv: yes → also include test -f .venv/bin/activate
   • If runtime: python and venv: no → cannot validate SDK via file check; skip to Skill Path Resolution (full detection required)
   • Chain all applicable checks with && in one command
3. Cache hit (all checks pass) → Skip Skill Path Resolution, Connection Setup, Dependency Setup, and Runtime Detection entirely. Use the cached Skill path and runtime values for all CLI commands this session
4. Cache miss (any check fails) → Delete the stale ## Kinetica Setup Cache section from auto-memory MEMORY.md, then proceed to Skill Path Resolution below

Skill Path Resolution

Run this once per session before the first CLI invocation (skip if Setup Cache validated — use the cached Skill path).

The skill may be installed locally (project-level) or globally (user-level). Resolve the correct path before invoking any CLI scripts:

# Check local first, then global
if test -f .claude/skills/kinetica-execute/scripts/kinetica-cli.js || \
   test -f .claude/skills/kinetica-execute/scripts/kinetica-cli.py; then
  echo "skill_path=.claude/skills/kinetica-execute"
elif test -f ~/.claude/skills/kinetica-execute/scripts/kinetica-cli.js || \
     test -f ~/.claude/skills/kinetica-execute/scripts/kinetica-cli.py; then
  echo "skill_path=$HOME/.claude/skills/kinetica-execute"
else
  echo "not_found"
fi

• Local found → use .claude/skills/kinetica-execute as <skill_path>
• Global found → use the expanded absolute path (e.g., /Users/you/.claude/skills/kinetica-execute) as <skill_path>
• Neither found → stop and tell the user: "The kinetica-execute skill scripts were not found in .claude/ or ~/.claude/. Please verify the skill is installed."

Session caching: Once resolved, use <skill_path> for all subsequent CLI invocations in this session. Do not re-check.

Connection Setup

Run this flow before the first CLI command in a session, unless the Setup Cache validated successfully. If credentials are already configured, this completes instantly at step 2.

1. Locate — Use the current working directory as the project root
2. Check — Read shell environment variables first (they take precedence). Then, if a .env file exists in the project root, read it using the Read tool (this is required so the Write tool can overwrite it later if needed). If KINETICA_DB_SKILL_URL is set and non-empty from either source → skip to step 6
3. Prompt — Use AskUserQuestion to collect connection details in a single prompt:
   • Server URL (required) — e.g., http://localhost:9191
   • Auth method — Username/Password or OAuth Token
   • Credentials — username + password, or OAuth token, depending on the choice above
4. Warn — Before writing anything, inform the user: "I'll save these credentials to a local .env file (which is gitignored). OK to proceed?" Use AskUserQuestion with Yes/No options. If the user declines, do not write .env — instead, prefix env vars inline on each CLI call for the remainder of the session (e.g., KINETICA_DB_SKILL_URL=... python3 ... health)
5. Write — Create <project_root>/.env using the format from <skill_path>/.env.template, filling in the user-provided values. Do NOT echo passwords or tokens in your response. Once .env is written successfully, do not prefix env vars inline on CLI calls — the CLI auto-loads .env from the project root, so inline prefixes are unnecessary and redundant. If the write fails (e.g., permission denied), show the user the exact file content they need to create manually (masking secrets with ***)
6. Proceed — Continue with the user's original request

Dependency Setup

Run this flow after Connection Setup completes, unless the Setup Cache validated successfully. If dependencies are already installed, this completes instantly at step 1.

Python version note: The gpudb PyPI package ships pre-built wheels for Python 3.8–3.13 only. If you are running Python 3.14+, use the Node.js runtime instead.

1. Detect — Check which runtime is available:

   # Check Node.js SDK
   node -e "process.chdir('<skill_path>'); require('@kinetica/gpudb')" 2>/dev/null && echo "nodejs:ok"
   
   # Check Python SDK (activate venv first if it exists)
   test -f .venv/bin/activate && source .venv/bin/activate
   python3 -c "import gpudb" 2>/dev/null && echo "python:ok"
   

2. Install if missing — If neither runtime has the SDK installed:
   • Node.js (recommended — no platform restrictions): cd <skill_path> && npm install
   • Python (requires Python 3.8–3.13): First verify the Python version is compatible, then install:

     python3 -c "import sys; v=sys.version_info; exit(0 if (3,8)<=v[:2]<=(3,13) else 1)" && echo "python:compatible" || echo "python:incompatible — use Node.js runtime"
     

     If compatible: pip install -r <skill_path>/requirements.txt (create a venv first if one doesn't exist: python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate)
   • Both failed: If Node.js is not installed and Python is 3.14+, inform the user: "The Python gpudb package requires Python 3.8–3.13. Please install Node.js v16+ to use this skill, or switch to a compatible Python version."
   • curl fallback: If the user explicitly requests curl, or both SDK runtimes fail and the user cannot install them now, use the Kinetica REST API Access (curl) section above for the current session only. Do not write the Setup Cache in this case — the next session should re-attempt SDK installation
3. Proceed — Continue with the user's original request

Write Setup Cache

After both Connection Setup and Dependency Setup complete successfully, write (or replace) the ## Kinetica Setup Cache section in the auto-memory MEMORY.md file:

## Kinetica Setup Cache
- Runtime: <nodejs|python>
- Skill path: <resolved path from Skill Path Resolution — local or global>
- Credentials: <dotenv|env-vars|inline>
- Venv: <yes|no>
- Cached: <YYYY-MM-DD>

Rules:

• If ## Kinetica Setup Cache already exists in MEMORY.md, replace it (do not duplicate)
• Only write after setup succeeds — never mid-flow
• credentials value: dotenv if .env was used, env-vars if shell env vars were used, inline if env vars are prefixed on each CLI call
• venv: yes if .venv/bin/activate exists, no otherwise
• Never cache curl as a runtime. The Runtime field only accepts nodejs or python. If neither SDK is available and the session falls back to raw curl, do not write the cache — leave it empty so the next session re-runs full Dependency Setup

Prerequisites

Environment Variables

Note: Claude handles credential setup interactively via the Connection Setup flow above. The table below is for reference only.

The CLI scripts auto-load a .env file from the project root.

Variable	Required	Description
KINETICA_DB_SKILL_URL	Yes	Server URL (e.g., http://localhost:9191)
KINETICA_DB_SKILL_USER	Yes*	Username for auth
KINETICA_DB_SKILL_PASS	No	Password for auth
KINETICA_DB_SKILL_OAUTH_TOKEN	Yes*	Alternative: OAuth token
KINETICA_DB_SKILL_TIMEOUT	No	Request timeout in ms (default: 30000)

*Use either username/password OR OAuth token.

Shell environment variables take precedence over .env values.

Install Dependencies

# Node.js (recommended — works with any Node.js v16+)
cd <skill_path> && npm install

# Python (requires Python 3.8–3.13; use venv — required on macOS/Homebrew)
python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate && pip install -r <skill_path>/requirements.txt

Runtime Detection

If the Setup Cache validated successfully, skip this section and use the cached runtime.

Before running CLI commands, detect which runtime is available:

# Check Node.js (resolve from skill directory where node_modules/ lives)
node -e "process.chdir('<skill_path>'); require('@kinetica/gpudb')" 2>/dev/null && echo "nodejs:ok"

# Check Python (activate venv first if it exists)
test -f .venv/bin/activate && source .venv/bin/activate
python3 -c "import gpudb" 2>/dev/null && echo "python:ok"

Important: If a .venv/ directory exists in the project root, always activate it before running the Python CLI:

source .venv/bin/activate

Priority: Use whichever is installed. If both are available, prefer Python for quick queries (simpler invocation) and Node.js for async workflows.

CLI Usage

Both CLIs share the same interface and same JSON output format.

Invocation

<skill_path> is the path resolved during Skill Path Resolution (or from the Setup Cache). Use it for all CLI invocations.

# Node.js
node <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.js <command> [args]

# Python
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py <command> [args]

Commands

Command	Args	Description
health		Verify connection to Kinetica
query	<sql>	Execute any SQL statement
show-tables	[schema]	List tables (optionally filter by schema)
describe-table	<table_name>	Show columns, types, properties, row count
get-records	<table> [options]	Retrieve records with filtering/sorting
insert-json	<table> <json_or_@file>	Insert JSON records
delete-records	<table> <expression>	Delete matching records
clear-table	<table>	Drop a table
show-types	[type_id] [label]	List registered types
aggregate	<table> <columns>	Group-by aggregation

Graph Commands

Command	Args	Description
graph create	<name> --edges <spec> [--nodes <spec>] [--weights <spec>] [--restrictions <spec>] [--directed] [--recreate] [--persist]	Create a graph from table data
graph solve	<name> --solver-type <type> [--source-nodes <ids>] [--dest-nodes <ids>] [--solution-table <tbl>] [--weights-on-edges <spec>] [--restrictions <spec>] [--max-solution-targets <n>] [--output-wkt] [--output-edge-path]	Run solver (SHORTEST_PATH, PAGE_RANK, TSP, etc.)
graph query	<name> --queries <node_ids> [--rings <n>] [--adjacency-table <tbl>] [--restrictions <spec>] [--force-undirected] [--limit <n>] [--output-wkt]	Topological adjacency — find neighbors N hops from given node IDs (NOT for Cypher/PGQL pattern matching)
graph match	<name> --sample-points <spec> [--solve-method <method>] [--solution-table <tbl>]	Map-match GPS or run batch solves (methods: markov_chain, match_od_pairs, match_supply_demand, match_batch_solves)
graph delete	<name> [--delete-persist]	Delete a graph (add --delete-persist to also remove persisted data)
graph show	[name]	List graphs or show graph details

graph solve --solver-type values: SHORTEST_PATH, PAGE_RANK, PROBABILITY_RANK, CENTRALITY, MULTIPLE_ROUTING, ALLPATHS, TSP, INVERSE_SHORTEST_PATH, BACKHAUL_ROUTING, CLOSENESS

Extended timeouts: Graph CLI commands (graph create, graph solve, graph query, graph match), Cypher/PGQL queries (query "GRAPH ... MATCH ..."), and SQL SOLVE_GRAPH calls (query "SELECT * FROM TABLE(SOLVE_GRAPH(...))") can take significantly longer than standard SQL. Set KINETICA_DB_SKILL_TIMEOUT=300000 (5 min) so the CLI script does not abort the HTTP request early, and set the Bash tool timeout to 360000 ms (6 min) to allow the script to handle its own timeout gracefully before the process is killed. The Bash timeout must always exceed KINETICA_DB_SKILL_TIMEOUT.

CLI graph create: Supports --nodes, --edges, --weights, --restrictions, --directed, --recreate, --persist for simple single-table specs. For multi-table NODES/EDGES, LABEL_KEY, VARCHAR[] weights, or extended OPTIONS, use query "CREATE GRAPH ..." (full DDL syntax) — see references/graph-functions.md §Creating Graphs.

When to Use CLI vs SQL for Graphs

CLI commands (graph create/solve/query/match) call REST endpoints directly — use them for simple one-shot operations. For Cypher pattern matching, SOLVE_GRAPH with custom options, or GRAPH_TABLE aggregation, use the query command instead.

Key distinction — graph query vs Cypher:

• graph query <name> --queries <node_ids> → REST /query/graph — finds adjacent nodes by ID within N hops. NOT for pattern matching.
• query "GRAPH name MATCH ..." → Cypher/PGQL via SQL engine — labels, attribute filters, variable-length paths, aggregation.

For the full decision guide (CLI vs Cypher vs SOLVE_GRAPH vs MATCH_GRAPH), Cypher syntax rules, common mistakes, and visualization workflow, see references/graph-workflows.md.

Geospatial Commands

Command	Args	Description
geo filter-by-radius	<table> --x-col --y-col --center-x --center-y --radius	Circular radius filter (meters)
geo filter-by-box	<table> --x-col --y-col --min-x --max-x --min-y --max-y	Bounding box filter
geo filter-by-area	<table> --x-col --y-col --wkt <geometry>	Filter by WKT polygon area
geo filter-by-geometry	<table> --geom-col --geometry <wkt> --operation <op>	Geometry-to-geometry filter (contains, intersects, etc.)
geo filter-by-range	<table> --column <col> --lower <val> --upper <val>	Numeric range filter
geo filter-by-string	<table> --column <col> --value <str> --mode <mode>	String filter (equals, contains, starts, regex)

I/O Commands

Command	Args	Description
io import-files	<table> --file-path <path>	Import CSV/JSON/Parquet files into a table
io export-files	<table> --file-path <path> --file-type <type>	Export table to files
io export-table	<table> --dest-table <name>	Export/copy table to another table
io kifs-upload	<local-path> <kifs-path>	Upload file to KiFS
io kifs-download	<kifs-path> <local-path>	Download file from KiFS
io kifs-list	[kifs-path]	List KiFS directory contents
io kifs-mkdir	<kifs-path>	Create KiFS directory
io kifs-delete	<kifs-path>	Delete file or directory from KiFS

Visualization Commands

Command	Args	Description
viz chart	<table> --x-column --y-column --output <file>	Generate a chart image
viz heatmap	<table> (--x-col --y-col | --geo-col) [--value-col] [--srs EPSG:4326] [--blur-radius N] [--colormap NAME] [--min-x/max-x/min-y/max-y] [--width] [--height] --output <file>	Generate a heatmap via WMS
viz isochrone	<graph> --source <node_id> --max-radius <cost> [--num-levels N] [--weights-on-edges <cols>] --output <file>	Generate isochrone contours
viz classbreak	--config <json_or_@file> --output <file>	Generate class-break map via WMS
viz wms	--config <json_or_@file> --output <file>	Send a custom WMS request

Output: All viz commands require --output <file> to write the image to disk. After the command succeeds, you MUST include a clickable file link so the user can view or download the PNG. Use the absolute path and present it as: [filename.png](file:///absolute/path/to/filename.png). If the --output value was relative, resolve it against the current working directory. Do NOT use --preview — terminal ASCII art is not visible in this environment.

Isochrone parameters: --source is a graph node ID (not WKT). --max-radius is the cost threshold in the same units as the graph's edge weights (distance, time, etc. — default: 100). --num-levels sets the number of contour bands (default: 4). Use --weights-on-edges to specify which weight columns to use for cost calculation.

Choosing GEO_ATTR vs X_ATTR/Y_ATTR: Before generating a heatmap, classbreak, or WMS visualization, check the table schema via describe-table:

• If the table has a WKT/geometry column (type string with WKT data like POINT(...), LINESTRING(...), etc.) → use --geo-col (heatmap) or "geo_attr" / "GEO_ATTR" (classbreak/wms JSON config)
• If the table has separate longitude/latitude columns → use --x-col/--y-col (heatmap) or "x_attr"/"y_attr" / "X_ATTR"/"Y_ATTR" (classbreak/wms JSON config)
• Never combine both — GEO_ATTR and X_ATTR/Y_ATTR are mutually exclusive; the CLI will reject the request

Monitor Commands

Command	Args	Description
monitor create	<table> --event <insert|update|delete>	Create a table monitor
monitor show	[monitor-id]	Show active monitors
monitor clear	<monitor-id>	Remove a table monitor
monitor create-trigger	<table> --trigger-type <type> --options <json>	Create a trigger (area, range, etc.)
monitor clear-trigger	<trigger-id>	Remove a trigger
monitor show-triggers	[table]	List active triggers

get-records Options

Option	Description
--limit N	Max records (default: 100)
--offset N	Skip first N records
--expression EXPR	Filter expression (e.g., "age > 30")
--columns col1,col2	Select specific columns
--sort-by COL	Sort by column
--sort-order asc|desc	Sort direction

Examples

# Health check
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py health

# Run a SQL query
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py query "SELECT * FROM my_schema.my_table LIMIT 10"

# List all tables
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py show-tables

# List tables in a specific schema
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py show-tables my_schema

# Describe table schema
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py describe-table my_schema.my_table

# Get records with filtering
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py get-records my_table --limit 50 --expression "status = 'active'" --sort-by created_at --sort-order desc

# Insert JSON records
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py insert-json my_table '[{"id": 1, "name": "Alice"}]'

# Insert from file
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py insert-json my_table @data.json

# Delete records
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py delete-records my_table "id = 42"

# Drop a table
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py clear-table my_table

# Group-by aggregation
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py aggregate my_table "category,count(*),avg(price)"

Category Examples

# Graph: create, solve, query, match — see references/graph-examples.md for full set
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py graph create my_graph --edges "roads.src AS SOURCE, roads.dst AS DESTINATION"
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py graph solve my_graph --solver-type SHORTEST_PATH --source-nodes "node_A" --dest-nodes "node_B"
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py graph solve my_graph --solver-type PAGE_RANK --solution-table "pagerank_results"
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py graph query my_graph --queries "node_A" --rings 3 --adjacency-table "neighbors_3hop"
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py query "GRAPH wiki_graph MATCH (a:MALE WHERE (a.node = 'Tom'))<-[b:Friend]-(c) RETURN a.node AS originator, c.node AS friend"

# Filter points within 5km radius
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py geo filter-by-radius locations --x-col longitude --y-col latitude --center-x -122.4 --center-y 37.77 --radius 5000

# Filter by bounding box
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py geo filter-by-box locations --x-col longitude --y-col latitude --min-x -122.5 --max-x -122.3 --min-y 37.7 --max-y 37.8

# Import CSV data
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py io import-files my_table --file-path /data/records.csv

# List KiFS directory contents
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py io kifs-list /data/uploads

# Generate a chart
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz chart sales --x-column month --y-column revenue --output chart.png

# Generate a heatmap (separate lon/lat columns)
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz heatmap sensor_data --x-col lon --y-col lat --value-col temperature --colormap jet --output heatmap.png

# Generate a heatmap (WKT geometry column)
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz heatmap geo_table --geo-col geom --value-col temperature --colormap viridis --output heatmap_geo.png

# Generate isochrone contours
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz isochrone my_graph --source 42 --max-radius 300 --output isochrone.png

# Generate a class-break map (separate lon/lat columns)
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz classbreak --config '{"LAYERS":"my_table","BBOX":"-180,-90,180,90","CB_ATTR":"category","CB_VALS":"A,B,C","X_ATTR":"lon","Y_ATTR":"lat"}' --output classbreak.png

# Generate a class-break map (WKT geometry column)
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz classbreak --config '{"LAYERS":"geo_table","BBOX":"-180,-90,180,90","CB_ATTR":"category","CB_VALS":"A,B,C","geo_attr":"geom"}' --output classbreak_geo.png

# Generate a custom WMS map
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py viz wms --config '{"LAYERS":"my_table","BBOX":"-122.5,37.7,-122.3,37.8","STYLES":"raster","X_ATTR":"lon","Y_ATTR":"lat"}' --output wms.png

# Create a table monitor for inserts
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py monitor create my_table --event insert

# Show active monitors
python3 <skill_path>/scripts/kinetica-cli.py monitor show

Execute vs. Generate Decision

Execute Directly (via CLI)

Use CLI commands for:

• Simple SQL queries (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE)
• Listing and describing tables
• Quick data inserts (JSON)
• Health checks and connection testing
• One-off aggregations
• Data exploration and schema discovery
• Graph inspection (graph show), adjacency queries (graph query), single-solver runs (graph solve), and simple Cypher queries via query "GRAPH ... MATCH ..."
• Simple geospatial filters (single radius, box, or area query)
• File imports (io import-files) and single-file KiFS operations
• Quick visualizations (viz chart, viz heatmap)
• Creating/listing monitors and triggers

Generate Code

Write a Node.js or Python script when the user needs:

• Complex multi-step workflows (ETL, batch processing)
• Type/table creation with specific properties
• Reusable scripts they can run independently
• Advanced operations (SqlIterator for pagination, bulk loading)
• Custom error handling or retry logic
• Integration into existing codebases
• Complex multi-graph workflows (create graph with full DDL, solve, then query results)
• Multi-step graph analytics (centrality + shortest path + Cypher traversal + visualization)
• MATCH_GRAPH supply-demand optimization with multi-modal transport and spec matching

  MATCH_GRAPH is always executed via EXECUTE FUNCTION (not CLI). See references/graph-functions.md for parameter schema.

• Chained Cypher-to-OLAP pipelines (GRAPH_TABLE aggregation with joins)
• Chained geospatial-to-visualization pipelines (filter by area, then generate heatmap)
• Custom monitor callbacks with event processing logic
• Bulk KiFS operations (upload/download many files in a loop)

When generating code, read <skill_path>/references/api-reference.md for API patterns and examples in both languages.

Before writing WMS visualization code: read references/wms-reference.md for all rendering styles, parameters, defaults, and gotchas.

Multi-graph pipeline pattern (for generated scripts): When a workflow requires create→solve→query or cross-graph analysis, chain the steps sequentially and query the solution table between steps:

# Pattern: create graph → solve → query solution → visualize
db.execute_sql("CREATE OR REPLACE DIRECTED GRAPH my_graph (...)")
db.execute_sql("SELECT * FROM TABLE(SOLVE_GRAPH(GRAPH => 'my_graph', SOLVER_TYPE => 'CENTRALITY', ...))")
result = db.execute_sql("SELECT * FROM my_graph_solution ORDER BY SOLVERS_NODE_COSTS DESC LIMIT 10")
# Use top-centrality nodes as input for a second solve (e.g., shortest path between key nodes)
db.execute_sql("SELECT * FROM TABLE(SOLVE_GRAPH(GRAPH => 'my_graph', SOLVER_TYPE => 'SHORTEST_PATH', ...))")

Graph Operations Workflow

For the full 7-step procedural guide — discovering existing graphs, choosing between CLI / Cypher / SOLVE_GRAPH / MATCH_GRAPH, Cypher syntax rules and common mistakes, edge-direction semantics, troubleshooting, and visualization — see references/graph-workflows.md.

Quick decision (full table in references/graph-workflows.md §Step 2):

If you need...	Use
Adjacency by node ID	CLI graph query
Single solver (shortest path, PageRank)	CLI graph solve or SQL SOLVE_GRAPH
Pattern matching with labels / multi-hop / attribute filters	Cypher query "GRAPH name MATCH ..."
Cypher + GROUP BY	Wrap in GRAPH_TABLE()
Supply-demand, isochrone, EV charging, GPS snap-to-road	MATCH_GRAPH (SQL) or graph match (CLI)

Reference docs alongside graph-workflows.md: references/graph-functions.md (grammar/DDL/parameter schemas), references/graph-examples.md (domain-specific end-to-end patterns).

Output Interpretation

CLI commands output JSON to stdout. Present results to the user as:

1. Query results → Format records array as a markdown table

2. Table listings → Format as a bulleted list or table with name + size

3. Describe table → Show columns table (name, type, properties)

4. Errors → Show the error message and suggest fixes

5. Graph show → Format graphs array as a table with name, directed, num_nodes, num_edges

6. Graph solve → Show solver_type and solution_table; inform user they can query the solution table for full results (e.g., query "SELECT * FROM <solution_table>")

   Solver result columns (query the solution table with SELECT * to see full output):

   Solver Type	Key Columns
   SHORTEST_PATH	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_COSTS, WKTROUTE (if output_edge_path = 'true')
   INVERSE_SHORTEST_PATH	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_COSTS (paths from destination back to sources)
   PAGE_RANK	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_NODE_COSTS (rank score)
   PROBABILITY_RANK	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_NODE_COSTS (transition probability score)
   CENTRALITY	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_NODE_COSTS (betweenness score)
   CLOSENESS	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_NODE_COSTS (closeness centrality score)
   ALLPATHS	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_ID, SOLVERS_PATH_ID, SOLVERS_RING_ID
   MULTIPLE_ROUTING	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_COSTS, SOLVERS_ROUTE_ID
   TSP	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_COSTS, SOLVERS_ROUTE_ID (round-trip min cost)
   BACKHAUL_ROUTING	SOLVERS_NODE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_ID, SOLVERS_EDGE_COSTS, SOLVERS_ROUTE_ID (remote→backbone paths)

7. Graph query (adjacency) → Show adjacency_table and rings; inform user they can query the adjacency table for neighbor details

8. Graph match → Show solve_method and solution_table; inform user they can query the solution table for match results

Pagination

If has_more_records is true in the response, inform the user and offer to fetch the next page using --offset and --limit.

Code Generation Templates

When generating a Node.js or Python script that connects to Kinetica, use the minimal boilerplate in references/code-templates.md as the entry-point skeleton. Both templates honor the same KINETICA_DB_SKILL_URL / _USER / _PASS env vars used by the CLI, so generated scripts run against the same target without extra configuration. For deeper code-generation patterns (connection pooling, batch ingest, generic vs. SQL execution modes), see the kinetica-code skill.

Error Handling

When a CLI command, SQL query, graph operation, or generated script returns an error, consult the lookup table in references/error-handling.md first — most errors have a one-step remediation (missing env var, wrong table name, deps not installed) that's much faster than diagnosing from scratch. The table covers connection/auth errors, dependency install failures, table/column lookup failures, graph errors (solver type, GRAPH_TABLE overhead, directionality), geo errors (WKT/column issues), and import/monitor errors.

For graph-specific troubleshooting with more nuance than the generic table, see references/graph-workflows.md §Step 6.

Kinetica SQL Dialect

Kinetica is a GPU-accelerated database with a PostgreSQL-compatible SQL dialect. It handles billions of rows, vector search, geospatial, time-series, and graph analytics.

Critical: Kinetica SQL has important deviations from standard PostgreSQL. Read references/kinetica-core-rules.md before writing any query.

Key Differences from PostgreSQL

• No nested aggregate functions — use subqueries or CTEs instead
• No backticks — use double quotes for identifiers
• DATEDIFF / DATEADD instead of timestamp arithmetic
• Case-sensitive identifiers — always match exact column names
• DECIMAL not NUMERIC

Domain Capabilities

SQL Core

See references/kinetica-core-rules.md — read this first. See references/sql-functions.md for Kinetica-specific functions. See references/sql-patterns.md for common query patterns.

DDL & DML

CREATE TABLE with shard keys, partitioning, tier strategies, vector indexes. LOAD DATA for bulk ingestion, EXPORT for data extraction, upsert hints. See references/ddl-reference.md and references/dml-reference.md.

Materialized Views & Delta Tables

For "incremental MV that only re-emits new rows", "change-data feed", "geofence / membership stream", or any "only show inserts since the last refresh" request — use the delta-table feature instead of full MV recomputation or a CDC stream. Two opt-in shapes: the KI_HINT_DELTA_TABLE scoped hint (placed after the table name, before the alias) for changes-only materialized views, and the CREATE STREAM ... ON QUERY pattern with <delta_table> dt LEFT SEMI JOIN <lookup_table> lt positional aliases for query-based streams. Both features work only on regular tables (no views, external tables, or MVs) and reflect inserts only — updates and deletes are invisible. Also covers MV refresh grammar (REFRESH ON CHANGE / EVERY ... STARTING AT / STOP AFTER / EXECUTE AS). See references/delta-tables.md.

Geospatial

ST_* and accelerated STXY_* functions, H3 spatial indexing, SRID 4326 only, solution parameter (Euclidean/Haversine/Vincenty). See references/geospatial-functions.md and references/geospatial-examples.md.

Time-Series

TIME_BUCKET, DATEDIFF/DATEADD, window functions, ASOF joins for temporal proximity. See references/timeseries-functions.md and references/timeseries-examples.md.

Vector Search & Embeddings

Vector distance functions (L2, Cosine, Inner Product), GENERATE_EMBEDDINGS UDF, and semantic search patterns. See references/vector-patterns.md.

JSON, Arrays & Text Search

JSON_EXTRACT_VALUE (must CAST!), ARRAY_CONTAINS, UNNEST, REGEXP_LIKE, fuzzy matching. See references/json-array-text.md.

Graph Analytics

Build property graphs from existing tables, query with Cypher, run algorithms (shortest path, page rank, TSP). No separate graph database needed. Prefer Cypher over SQL for relationship queries — see references/graph-workflows.md. See references/graph-functions.md and references/graph-examples.md.

UDFs, Procedures & ML

User-Defined Functions (Python), scheduled SQL procedures, built-in ML (PREDICT, OUTLIERS), and Docker model management. See references/udf-reference.md.

Security & Administration

Users, roles, GRANT/REVOKE, row/column security, resource groups, and tier management. See references/security-reference.md.

Schema Introspection & Virtual Catalogs

For "what tables exist", "show columns / PK / FK", "who has access", "why did Z run slow", "which MV depends on what", tier/RAM/disk usage, or load-history error audits — query the virtual catalogs instead of describe-table loops or GRANT inspection commands. Both catalogs auto-filter by caller permissions.

• information_schema.* — portable, standards-compliant (TABLES, COLUMNS, SCHEMATA, KEY_COLUMN_USAGE, OBJECT_PRIVILEGES). See references/virtual-catalog-ansi.md.
• ki_catalog.* — Kinetica-specific depth (ki_tiered_objects via outer_object, ki_depend, ki_query_span_metrics_all, ki_rag_embeddings, single-letter enum decoders). See references/virtual-catalog-kinetica.md.
• Canonical join paths (object → stat → partitions → columns, type-OID lookup, query-span drill-down, permission audit) — see references/catalog-joins.md.
• 7.2.x-specific gotchas (no ANALYZE TABLE, shard keys immutable, ki_tables/ki_version don't exist, ki_columns correct column names) — see references/version-quirks.md.

WMS / Visualization

Heatmap, raster, class-break, contour, label, and isochrone rendering via the /wms endpoint. See references/wms-reference.md.

Query Writing Guidelines

0. Graph check first — If the question involves relationships (mutual, paths, connections, influence), run graph show before writing SQL. If a relevant graph exists with typed edge labels, use Cypher — see references/graph-workflows.md
1. Always run describe-table before writing SQL — check column names (case-sensitive) and types
2. Array columns (type array<...>) cannot appear in ORDER BY, sort-by, or get-records --sort-by — use a non-array column or index into the array: ORDER BY "col"[1]
3. Quote schema-qualified table names: "schema"."table"
4. Use LIMIT for exploration queries
5. Use CTEs instead of nested subqueries with aggregates
6. For date math, always use DATEDIFF/DATEADD — never subtract timestamps directly
7. When in doubt, consult the relevant reference file for the domain