ClickHouse/docs/en/query_language/dicts/external_dicts.md
Ivan Blinkov 0a4a5b36cc
Some WIP on documentation refactoring (#2659)
* Additional .gitignore entries

* Merge a bunch of small articles about system tables into single one

* Merge a bunch of small articles about formats into single one

* Adapt table with formats to English docs too

* Add SPb meetup link to main page

* Move Utilities out of top level of docs (the location is probably not yet final) + translate couple articles

* Merge MacOS.md into build_osx.md

* Move Data types higher in ToC

* Publish changelog on website alongside documentation

* Few fixes for en/table_engines/file.md

* Use smaller header sizes in changelogs

* Group up table engines inside ToC

* Move table engines out of top level too

* Specificy in ToC that query language is SQL based. Thats a bit excessive, but catches eye.

* Move stuff that is part of query language into respective folder

* Move table functions lower in ToC

* Lost redirects.txt update

* Do not rely on comments in yaml + fix few ru titles

* Extract major parts of queries.md into separate articles

* queries.md has been supposed to be removed

* Fix weird translation

* Fix a bunch of links

* There is only table of contents left

* "Query language" is actually part of SQL abbreviation

* Change filename in README.md too

* fix mistype
2018-07-18 13:00:53 +03:00

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<a name="dicts-external_dicts"></a>
# External dictionaries
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#dicts-external_dicts_dict_sources)".
ClickHouse:
> - Fully or partially stores dictionaries in RAM.
- Periodically updates dictionaries and dynamically loads missing values. In other words, dictionaries can be loaded dynamically.
The configuration of external dictionaries is located in one or more files. The path to the configuration is specified in the [dictionaries_config](../../operations/server_settings/settings.md#server_settings-dictionaries_config) parameter.
Dictionaries can be loaded at server startup or at first use, depending on the [dictionaries_lazy_load](../../operations/server_settings/settings.md#server_settings-dictionaries_lazy_load) setting.
The dictionary config 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 -->
</dictionary>
...
<dictionary>
<!-- Dictionary configuration -->
</dictionary>
</yandex>
```
You can [configure](external_dicts_dict.md#dicts-external_dicts_dict) any number of dictionaries in the same file. The file format is preserved even if there is only one dictionary (i.e. `<yandex><dictionary> <!--configuration -> </dictionary></yandex>` ).
See also "[Functions for working with external dictionaries](../functions/ext_dict_functions.md#ext_dict_functions)".
<div class="admonition attention">
You can convert values for a small dictionary by describing it in a `SELECT` query (see the [transform](../functions/other_functions.md#other_functions-transform) function). This functionality is not related to external dictionaries.
</div>