The Java API in Five Minutes

MarkLogic provides a Java interface to its powerful database and search functionality. If you prefer other languages (say, C#, PHP, Python, or Ruby), you may prefer to read the REST API version of this tutorial. Otherwise, please read on.

This tutorial walks you through some basic concepts. It also provides a few elementary examples, with links to the Java Application Developer's Guide and API reference, where you can find details and richer examples.

To start with, the MarkLogic Java API assumes three job roles for individuals:

1. The developer. This person does the day to day programming against the Java API. They're a pro with Eclipse, IntelliJ, or some other IDE or text editor. The Java Application Developer's Guide and Java Client API reference are the main exposure they have to MarkLogic.

2. The developer admin. This person controls MarkLogic administrative settings and configuration that affect the Java API's behavior. For example, they adjust current query settings, any stored transformations or extensions which may be called, and index settings. They do this via APIs and tools that are separate from those available to the regular developer. They do not access or administer MarkLogic outside of these endpoints.

3. The database admin. This person installs MarkLogic, creates users, sets up databases and REST servers, and manages and monitors them. They're the classic IT database administrator, often not a programmer.

In some cases, a single individual may have more than one of these roles. For example, if you're running MarkLogic on your own laptop, you'll assume all of these roles on day one.