ClickHouse/docs/en/sql-reference/dictionaries/external-dictionaries/external-dicts.md
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---
toc_priority: 39
toc_title: General Description
---
# External Dictionaries {#dicts-external-dicts}
You can add your own dictionaries from various data sources. The data source for a dictionary can be a local text or executable file, an HTTP(s) resource, or another DBMS. For more information, see “[Sources for external dictionaries](external-dicts-dict-sources.md)”.
ClickHouse:
- Fully or partially stores dictionaries in RAM.
- Periodically updates dictionaries and dynamically loads missing values. In other words, dictionaries can be loaded dynamically.
- Allows to create external dictionaries with xml files or [DDL queries](../../statements/create.md#create-dictionary-query).
The configuration of external dictionaries can be located in one or more xml-files. The path to the configuration is specified in the [dictionaries\_config](../../../operations/server-configuration-parameters/settings.md#server_configuration_parameters-dictionaries_config) parameter.
Dictionaries can be loaded at server startup or at first use, depending on the [dictionaries\_lazy\_load](../../../operations/server-configuration-parameters/settings.md#server_configuration_parameters-dictionaries_lazy_load) setting.
The dictionary configuration file has the following format:
``` xml
<yandex>
<comment>An optional element with any content. Ignored by the ClickHouse server.</comment>
<!--Optional element. File name with substitutions-->
<include_from>/etc/metrika.xml</include_from>
<dictionary>
<!-- Dictionary configuration. -->
<!-- There can be any number of <dictionary> sections in the configuration file. -->
</dictionary>
</yandex>
```
You can [configure](external-dicts-dict.md) any number of dictionaries in the same file.
[DDL queries for dictionaries](../../statements/create.md#create-dictionary-query) doesnt require any additional records in server configuration. They allow to work with dictionaries as first-class entities, like tables or views.
!!! attention "Attention"
You can convert values for a small dictionary by describing it in a `SELECT` query (see the [transform](../../../sql-reference/functions/other-functions.md) function). This functionality is not related to external dictionaries.
## See Also {#ext-dicts-see-also}
- [Configuring an External Dictionary](external-dicts-dict.md)
- [Storing Dictionaries in Memory](external-dicts-dict-layout.md)
- [Dictionary Updates](external-dicts-dict-lifetime.md)
- [Sources of External Dictionaries](external-dicts-dict-sources.md)
- [Dictionary Key and Fields](external-dicts-dict-structure.md)
- [Functions for Working with External Dictionaries](../../../sql-reference/functions/ext-dict-functions.md)
[Original article](https://clickhouse.tech/docs/en/query_language/dicts/external_dicts/) <!--hide-->