Documentation

influxdb3 create distinct_cache

The influxdb3 create distinct_cache command creates a new distinct value cache for a specific table and column set in your InfluxDB 3 Enterprise instance.

Use this command to configure a cache that tracks unique values in specified columns. You must provide the database, token, table, and columns. Optionally, you can specify a name for the cache.

Usage

influxdb3 create distinct_cache [OPTIONS] \
  --database <DATABASE_NAME> \
  --token <AUTH_TOKEN>
  --table <TABLE> \
  --columns <COLUMNS> \
  [CACHE_NAME]

Arguments

  • CACHE_NAME: (Optional) A name to assign to the cache. If omitted, the CLI generates a name automatically.

Options

OptionDescription
-H--hostHost URL of the running InfluxDB 3 Enterprise server (default is http://127.0.0.1:8181)
-d--database(Required) Name of the database to operate on
--token(Required) Authentication token
-t--table(Required) Table to create the cache for
--columns(Required) Comma-separated list of columns to cache distinct values for–for example: col1,col2,col3 (see Metadata cache hierarchy)
--max-cardinalityMaximum number of distinct value combinations to hold in the cache
--max-ageMaximum age of an entry in the cache entered as a human-readable duration–for example: 30d, 24h
--tls-caPath to a custom TLS certificate authority (for testing or self-signed certificates)
--tls-no-verifyDisable TLS certificate verification. Not recommended in production. Useful for testing with self-signed certificates
-h--helpPrint help information
--help-allPrint detailed help information

Metadata cache hierarchy

The distinct value cache has a hierarchical structure with a level for each specified column. The order specified in the --columns option determines the order of levels, from top-to-bottom, of the cache hierarchy.

Option environment variables

You can use the following environment variables to set command options:

Environment VariableOption
INFLUXDB3_HOST_URL--host
INFLUXDB3_DATABASE_NAME--database
INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN--token
INFLUXDB3_TLS_NO_VERIFY--tls-no-verify

Prerequisites

Before creating a distinct value cache, make sure you:

  1. Create a database

  2. Create a table that includes the columns you want to cache

  3. Have a valid authentication token

Examples

Before running the following commands, replace the placeholder values with your own:

  • DATABASE_NAME: The database name
  • TABLE_NAME: The name of the table to cache values from
  • CACHE_NAME: The name of the distinct value cache to create
  • COLUMN_NAME: The column to cache distinct values from

You can also set environment variables (such as INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN) instead of passing options inline.

Create a distinct cache for one column

Track unique values from a single column. This setup is useful for testing or simple use cases.

influxdb3 create distinct_cache \
  --database 
DATABASE_NAME
\
--table
TABLE_NAME
\
--column
COLUMN_NAME
\
CACHE_NAME

Create a hierarchical cache with constraints

Create a distinct value cache for multiple columns. The following example tracks unique combinations of room and sensor_id, and sets limits on the number of entries and their maximum age.

influxdb3 create distinct_cache \
  --database my_test_db \
  --table my_sensor_table \
  --columns room,sensor_id \
  --max-cardinality 1000 \
  --max-age 30d \
  my_sensor_distinct_cache

Common pitfalls

  • --column is not valid. Use --columns.
  • Tokens must be included explicitly unless set via INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN
  • Table and column names must already exist or be recognized by the engine

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InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0: API tokens are hashed by default

Stronger token security in InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0 — tokens are hashed on disk by default. Existing tokens are hashed on first startup and can’t be recovered afterward. Capture any plaintext tokens you still need before you upgrade.

View InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0 release notes

Hashed tokens authenticate exactly like unhashed tokens — clients and integrations keep working.

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Explorer 1.9 is now available with InfluxQL support, an AI-assisted Flux to SQL converter (beta), and new live sample data simulators.

View Explorer 1.9 release notes

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For more information, see the InfluxDB 3 Core release notes.

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Key updates in InfluxDB 3 Enterprise 3.10:

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For more information, see the InfluxDB 3 Enterprise release notes

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If using Docker to install and run InfluxDB, the latest tag will point to InfluxDB 3 Core. To avoid unexpected upgrades, use specific version tags in your Docker deployments. For example, if using Docker to run InfluxDB v2, replace the latest version tag with a specific version tag in your Docker pull command–for example:

docker pull influxdb:2