> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fiquela.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction

> FiQueLa is a PHP library that lets you query structured files with SQL-like syntax or a fluent API — no database required.

**FiQueLa** (File Query Language, pronounced *fi-kju-ela*) is a PHP library that brings SQL-style querying to file-based data. Filter, join, group, aggregate, and transform records from XML, CSV, JSON, YAML, NEON, NDJSON, XLS, ODS files, and HTTP access logs using either a fluent PHP API or an FQL string — all without setting up a database.

## Key features

* **Multiple formats**: XML, CSV, JSON, NDJSON, YAML, NEON, XLS, ODS files, and HTTP access logs in a single unified API.
* **SQL-inspired syntax**: `SELECT`, `WHERE`, `JOIN`, `GROUP BY`, `HAVING`, `ORDER BY`, `LIMIT`, and more.
* **Two query styles**: Write queries as FQL strings or chain methods with the fluent PHP API.
* **Powerful expressions**: `CASE WHEN`, `IF`, nested condition groups, `XOR`, `REGEXP`, aggregate functions, and utility functions like `ROUND`, `EXPLODE`, `MOD`.
* **Stream-first processing**: Large JSON, XML, and CSV files are processed with low memory overhead wherever possible.
* **DTO mapping**: Map result rows directly to typed PHP objects.
* **Debug tooling**: Built-in `Query\Debugger` with explain plans and benchmarking.

## When to use FiQueLa

FiQueLa is a good fit when:

* You need to extract or analyze data from structured files without importing them into a database.
* You want to join or aggregate data across multiple files or formats in a single query.
* You are building lightweight data processing pipelines entirely in PHP.
* You need to inspect or transform files during development, scripting, or ETL tasks.

FiQueLa is not a replacement for a relational database in high-write or transactional workloads. For read-heavy file analysis, it provides a familiar query interface with minimal setup.

## Get started

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation" icon="box" href="/installation">
    Install FiQueLa via Composer and configure required PHP extensions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quickstart" icon="bolt" href="/quickstart">
    Run your first query against a file in under five minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fluent API" icon="code" href="/querying/fluent-api">
    Chain PHP methods to build expressive, readable queries.
  </Card>

  <Card title="FQL syntax" icon="terminal" href="/querying/fql-syntax">
    Write SQL-like strings to query files directly.
  </Card>
</Columns>