--- title: Use the influxctl CLI to query data description: Use the influxctl query command to query data in InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated with SQL. url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/query-data/execute-queries/influxctl-cli/ estimated_tokens: 5672 product: InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated version: cloud-dedicated --- # Use the influxctl CLI to query data Use the [`influxctl query` command](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/query/) to query data in InfluxDB Cloud Dedicated with SQL or InfluxQL. Provide the following with your command: - **Database token**: A [database token](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/admin/tokens/#database-tokens) with read permissions on the queried database. By default, this uses the `database` setting from the [`influxctl` connection profile](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/#configure-connection-profiles) or the `--token` command flag. - **Database name**: The name of the database to query. By default, this uses the `database` setting from the [`influxctl` connection profile](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/#configure-connection-profiles) or the `--database` command flag. - **Query language** *(Optional)*: The query language of the query. Use the `--language` flag to specify one of the following query languages: - `sql` *(default)* - `influxql` - **Query**: SQL or InfluxQL query to execute. Pass the query in one of the following ways: - a string on the command line - a path to a file that contains the query - a single dash (`-`) to read the query from stdin **SQL:** **string:** ```sh influxctl query \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ "SELECT * FROM home" ``` **file:** ```sh influxctl query \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ /path/to/query.sql ``` **stdin:** ```sh cat ./query.sql | influxctl query \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ - ``` **InfluxQL:** **string:** ```sh influxctl query \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ --language influxql \ "SELECT * FROM home" ``` **file:** ```sh influxctl query \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ --language influxql \ /path/to/query.influxql ``` **stdin:** ```sh cat ./query.influxql | influxctl query \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ --language influxql \ - ``` Replace the following: - `DATABASE_TOKEN`: Database token with read access to the queried database - `DATABASE_NAME`: Name of the database to query ## Query timeouts The [`influxctl --timeout` global flag](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/) sets the maximum duration for API calls, including query requests. If a query takes longer than the specified timeout, the operation will be canceled. ### Timeout examples Use different timeout values based on your query type: ```sh # Shorter timeout for testing dashboard queries (10 seconds) influxctl query \ --timeout 10s \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ "SELECT AVG(temperature) FROM sensors WHERE time >= now() - INTERVAL '1 day'" # Longer timeout for analytical queries (5 minutes) influxctl query \ --timeout 5m \ --token DATABASE_TOKEN \ --database DATABASE_NAME \ "SELECT room, AVG(temperature) FROM sensors WHERE time >= now() - INTERVAL '30 days' GROUP BY room" ``` For guidance on selecting appropriate timeout values, see [Query timeout best practices](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/query-data/troubleshoot-and-optimize/query-timeout-best-practices/). ## Output format The `influxctl query` command supports the following output formats: - `table` *(default)* - `json` Use the `--format` flag to specify the output format: \`\`\`sh influxctl query \\ --format json \\ "SELECT \* FROM home WHERE time >= '2022-01-01T08:00:00Z' LIMIT 5" \`\`\` [](#view-example-table-formatted-results) View example table-formatted results ``` +-------+--------+---------+------+----------------------+ | co | hum | room | temp | time | +-------+--------+---------+------+----------------------+ | 0 | 35.9 | Kitchen | 21 | 2022-01-01T08:00:00Z | | 0 | 36.2 | Kitchen | 23 | 2022-01-01T09:00:00Z | | 0 | 36.1 | Kitchen | 22.7 | 2022-01-01T10:00:00Z | | 0 | 36 | Kitchen | 22.4 | 2022-01-01T11:00:00Z | | 0 | 36 | Kitchen | 22.5 | 2022-01-01T12:00:00Z | +-------+--------+---------+------+----------------------+ | TOTAL | 5 ROWS | | | | +-------+--------+---------+------+----------------------+ ``` [](#view-example-json-formatted-results) View example JSON-formatted results ```json [ { "co": 0, "hum": 35.9, "room": "Kitchen", "temp": 21, "time": 1641024000000000000 }, { "co": 0, "hum": 36.2, "room": "Kitchen", "temp": 23, "time": 1641027600000000000 }, { "co": 0, "hum": 36.1, "room": "Kitchen", "temp": 22.7, "time": 1641031200000000000 }, { "co": 0, "hum": 36, "room": "Kitchen", "temp": 22.4, "time": 1641034800000000000 }, { "co": 0, "hum": 36, "room": "Kitchen", "temp": 22.5, "time": 1641038400000000000 } ] ``` ## Timestamp format When using the `table` [output format](#output-format), you can specify which of the following timestamp formats to use to display timestamp values in the query results: - `rfc3339nano`: *(Default)* [RFC3339Nano-formatted timestamp](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/glossary/#rfc3339nano-timestamp)–for example: `2024-01-01T00:00:00.000000000Z` - `unixnano`: [Unix nanosecond timestamp](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/glossary/#unix-timestamp) \`\`\`sh influxctl query \\ --time-format unixnano \\ "SELECT \* FROM home WHERE time >= '2022-01-01T08:00:00Z' LIMIT 5" \`\`\` [](#view-example-results-with-unix-nanosecond-timestamps) View example results with Unix nanosecond timestamps ``` +-------+--------+---------+------+---------------------+ | co | hum | room | temp | time | +-------+--------+---------+------+---------------------+ | 0 | 35.9 | Kitchen | 21 | 1641024000000000000 | | 0 | 36.2 | Kitchen | 23 | 1641027600000000000 | | 0 | 36.1 | Kitchen | 22.7 | 1641031200000000000 | | 0 | 36 | Kitchen | 22.4 | 1641034800000000000 | | 0 | 36 | Kitchen | 22.5 | 1641038400000000000 | +-------+--------+---------+------+---------------------+ | TOTAL | 5 ROWS | | | | +-------+--------+---------+------+---------------------+ ``` #### Related - [influxctl query](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/cli/influxctl/query/) - [Get started querying data](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/get-started/query/#execute-an-sql-query) - [Query timeout best practices](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/query-data/troubleshoot-and-optimize/query-timeout-best-practices/) - [SQL reference documentation](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/sql/) - [InfluxQL reference documentation](/influxdb3/cloud-dedicated/reference/influxql/)