Guides Overview

Welcome to the CQL Guides section! Here you'll find practical, focused documentation to help you use CQL (Crystal Query Language) effectively in your Crystal projects.

What You'll Find

Our guides are organized to help you progress from basic concepts to advanced techniques:

Getting Started

• Getting Started Guide - Build your first CQL application

• Configuration - Set up CQL for all environments

• Architecture Overview - Understand how CQL works

Active Record with CQL

• Active Record Overview - Complete guide to the Active Record pattern

• Defining Models - Create your first models

• CRUD Operations - Create, read, update, delete

• Querying & Scopes - Find what you need

• Relationships - Connect your data

• Validations - Ensure data quality

• Callbacks - Hook into model lifecycle

• Transactions - Maintain data consistency

Database Management

• Migrations - Version control your database

• Migration Best Practices - Follow proven patterns

• Migration Guide - Transition from other ORMs

• Schema Dump - Export and import schemas

Advanced Topics

• Performance Optimization - Make your queries fast

• Performance Monitoring - Query analysis and N+1 detection

• Security Guide - Secure database operations

• Testing Strategies - Test your database code

Best Practices & Comparison

• Best Practices - Follow proven patterns

• Feature Comparison - See how CQL compares to other ORMs

• Community - Connect with other developers

Learning Paths

New to CQL?

1. Getting Started - Build your first app

2. Active Record Overview - Learn the most popular pattern

3. Defining Models - Create your models

4. CRUD Operations - Basic database operations

5. Relationships - Connect your data

6. Validations - Ensure data quality

Coming from Another ORM?

1. Feature Comparison - See how CQL compares

2. Migration Guide - Transition smoothly

3. Architecture Overview - Understand the design

4. Best Practices - Follow proven patterns

Ready for Production?

1. Configuration - Optimize for your environment

2. Performance Optimization - Make it fast

3. Security Guide - Keep it secure

4. Testing Strategies - Ensure reliability

How to Use These Guides

• Start with the basics - If you're new to CQL, begin with Getting Started

• Follow the learning paths - Use the paths above to guide your learning

• Use the sidebar - Navigate between related topics easily

• Check examples - See Examples for working code samples

• Get help - Visit Troubleshooting or Community if you get stuck

What Makes These Guides Special

Each guide is designed to be:

• Self-contained - Complete examples and explanations

• Practical - Real-world scenarios and code samples

• Progressive - Build on previous knowledge

• Tested - All examples work with the latest CQL version

• Crystal-focused - Tailored for Crystal developers

Whether you're building your first Crystal app with CQL or looking to master advanced features, these guides are your go-to resource for effective CQL development.

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Don't try to read everything at once! Pick a learning path that matches your experience level and goals, then work through it systematically.

If you get stuck, check the Troubleshooting Guide or ask the Community for help.