---
title: Query a Distinct Value Cache
description: Use the distinct_cache() SQL function in the FROM clause of an SQL SELECT statement to query data from the Distinct Value Cache.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/core/admin/distinct-value-cache/query/
estimated_tokens: 566
product: InfluxDB 3 Core
version: core
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/core/admin/distinct-value-cache/query/
date: '2025-08-29T08:44:59-06:00'
lastmod: '2025-08-29T08:44:59-06:00'
---

Use the [`distinct_cache()` SQL function](/influxdb3/core/reference/sql/functions/cache/#distinct_cache)in the `FROM` clause of an SQL `SELECT` statement to query data from the
Distinct Value Cache (DVC).

> [!Important]
> You must use SQL to query the DVC.
> InfluxQL does not support the `distinct_cache()` function.

`distinct_cache()` supports the following arguments:

* **table\_name**: *(Required)* The name of the table the DVC is associated with
  formatted as a string literal.
* **cache\_name**: The name of the DVC to query formatted as a string literal.
  This argument is only required if there is more than one DVC associated with
  the specified table.

```sql
SELECT * FROM distinct_cache('table_name', 'cache_name')
```

You can use other [SQL clauses](/influxdb3/core/reference/sql/#statements-and-clauses)to modify query results. For example, you can use the `WHERE` clause to return
the distinct tag values associated with another distinct tag value:

```sql
SELECT
  city
FROM
  distinct_cache('wind_data', 'windDistinctCache')
WHERE
  country = 'Spain'
```

## Use the HTTP API

To use the HTTP API to query cached data, send a `GET` or `POST` request to the `/api/v3/query_sql` endpoint and include the [`distinct_cache()`](/influxdb3/core/reference/sql/functions/cache/#distinct_cache) function in your query.

```
GET /api/v3/query_sql
```

```
POST /api/v3/query_sql
```

```bash
curl -X POST "https://localhost:8181/api/v3/query_sql" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer AUTH_TOKEN" \
  --json '{
    "db": "DATABASE_NAME",
    "q": "SELECT * FROM distinct_cache('\''TABLE_NAME'\'', '\''CACHE_NAME'\'')",
    "format": "json"
  }'
```

## Example with WHERE clause

```bash
curl -X POST "https://localhost:8181/api/v3/query_sql" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer 00xoXX0xXXx0000XxxxXx0Xx0xx0" \
  --json '{
    "db": "example-db",
    "q": "SELECT room, temp FROM last_cache('\''home'\'', '\''homeCache'\'') WHERE room = '\''Kitchen'\''",
    "format": "json"
  }'
```

#### Related

* [distinct\_cache SQL function](/influxdb3/core/reference/sql/functions/cache/#distinct_cache)
* [Manage Distinct Value Caches with InfluxDB 3 Explorer](/influxdb3/explorer/manage-caches/distinct-value-caches/)

[cache](/influxdb3/core/tags/cache/)