
axiom-apl
★ 58by axiomhq · part of axiomhq/cli
APL query language reference for Axiom. Provides operators, functions, patterns, and CLI usage. Auto-invoked by specialized Axiom skills when writing or…
This is the playbook your agent receives when the skill activates — you don't need to read it to use the skill, but it's here to audit before installing.
by axiomhq
APL query language reference for Axiom. Provides operators, functions, patterns, and CLI usage. Auto-invoked by specialized Axiom skills when writing or…
npx skills add https://github.com/axiomhq/cli --skill axiom-apl
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Axiom Processing Language (APL)
APL is Axiom's query language for analyzing observability data. This skill provides comprehensive guidance for writing, debugging, and optimizing APL queries.
Quick Reference
Documentation: https://axiom.co/docs/apl/introduction
CLI usage: See references/cli.md
Core Workflow
1. List Available Datasets
axiom dataset list -f json
2. Discover Schema (CRITICAL - Always Do First)
[' '] | getschema
Never guess field names. The schema shows all fields with their types.
3. Sample Data
[' '] | limit 10
4. Write Query
See references for operators, functions, and patterns.
APL Syntax Essentials
Dataset Reference
['dataset-name'] // Bracket notation (required for names with dots/dashes)
dataset_name // Plain identifier (only for simple names)
Field Reference
field_name // Plain field
['field.with.dots'] // Bracket notation for dotted fields
['service.name'] // OTel data (see references/otel.md for field mappings)
Basic Query Structure
['dataset']
| where
| extend =
| summarize by
| project
| sort by desc
| limit 100
Time Handling
Always filter by time first - it's the most selective filter.
// Relative time
| where _time >= ago(1h)
| where _time >= ago(24h) and _time = datetime(2024-01-15T10:00:00Z)
| where _time between (datetime(2024-01-15) .. datetime(2024-01-16))
Time functions:
-
ago(timespan)- Relative past time -
now()- Current time -
datetime(string)- Parse datetime -
bin(_time, 5m)- Time bucketing -
bin_auto(_time)- Automatic bucketing
When NOT to Use
-
Simple field lookup: Use
getschemadirectly instead of invoking the full skill -
Known query patterns: If you already have a working query, don't re-invoke for syntax help
-
Real-time alerting: Use Axiom Monitors for continuous alerting, not ad-hoc queries
References
-
CLI Usage - Command flags and execution
-
Operators - Tabular and scalar operators
-
Functions - String, datetime, aggregation functions
-
Patterns - Query patterns by use case
-
Common Gotchas - Mistakes and fixes
-
OpenTelemetry - OTel field mappings and trace patterns
npx skills add https://github.com/axiomhq/cli --skill axiom-aplRun this in your project — your agent picks the skill up automatically.
No common issues documented yet. If you hit a problem, the repository's GitHub Issues page is the best place to look.