CQL console

The Cassandra Query Language Shell (CQLSH) is a command line shell for interacting with your database through Cassandra Query Language (CQL). This tool provides a useful interface for accessing the database and issuing CQL commands.

Embedded Astra DB CQL shell

Each =Astra DB database has an embedded CQL shell instance in the Astra Portal:

In the Astra Portal navigation menu, click your database, and then click CQL Console to open a CQLSH instance connected to your database.
Issue CQL commands to your Astra DB database directly in your browser.

To open the CQL console in a full window, use the following URL:

DATABASE_ID-REGION_NAME.apps.astra.datastax.com/cqlsh

Replace DATABASE_ID and REGION_NAME with your database’s ID and the name of the region where your database is deployed.

Standalone CQL shell

As an alternative to the embedded CQL shell in the Astra Portal, the standalone CQLSH client is a separate, lightweight tool you can use to interact with your database.

If you don’t already have one, create an Astra DB database.
Install a Python version with TLS support, which includes versions 2.7.12 or later. For more information, see this DataStax Support article.
Download your database’s Secure Connect Bundle (SCB).
Generate an application token for your database.
Download CQLSH. Choose the latest version for Astra DB.
In the directory where you downloaded the CQLSH tarball, extract it:
```
tar -xvf cqlsh-astra-RELEASE_DATE-bin.tar.gz
```
Replace RELEASE_DATE with the date that the tarball was released, such as 20210304.
cd into the cqlsh-astra directory, and then run the cqlsh script:
```
cd /cqlsh-astra
./bin/cqlsh -u CLIENT_ID -p CLIENT_SECRET -b PATH_TO_SCB
```
Replace the following:
- PATH_TO_SCB: The path to your database’s SCB zip file
- CLIENT_ID and CLIENT_SECRET: Either of the following sets of values from your application token:
  - The clientId value and the secret value
  - The literal string token and the token secret, prefixed by AstraCS:
(Optional) Store credentials in the cqlshrc file
If you don’t want to pass the credentials on the command line every time, you can configure the location in your cqlshrc file:
1. In the ~/.cassandra directory, open the cqlshrc file.
2. In the [authentication] section, add the CLIENT_ID and CLIENT_SECRET values from your application token.
3. In the [connection] section, add the path to the SCB.
[authentication] username = CLIENT_ID # or the literal string token password = CLIENT_SECRET # or the token secret prefixed by 'AstraCS:' [connection] secure_connect_bundle = PATH_TO_SCB

Make sure the command returns output indicating that you connected to your database. For example:

[cqlsh 6.8.0 | DSE 6.8.0.77 | CQL spec 3.4.5 | DSE protocol v2]
Use HELP for help.
username@cqlsh>

Select a keyspace in your database:
```
USE KEYSPACE_NAME;
```
Issue any required CQL commands to create tables, insert data, and manage database resources within the selected keyspace.

CQL console

Embedded Astra DB CQL shell

Standalone CQL shell

See also

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