# StackQL FAQ

> Frequently asked questions about StackQL - what it is, what it supports (joins, mutations, providers, MCP), how it compares to other tools, and how it is deployed.

Source: https://stackql.io/ai/faqs/stackql-faq

Answers to the most common questions about StackQL. Each answer is self-contained; follow the links for fuller treatments.

## Scope and capability

**What StackQL is.** An open-source SQL engine over cloud and SaaS provider APIs: providers become schemas, resources become tables, and the full SQL verb set applies - `SELECT` for reads, `INSERT`/`UPDATE`/`DELETE` for resource lifecycle, `EXEC` for other operations. See [What is StackQL?](/ai/canonical-definitions/what-is-stackql).

**What StackQL is not.** It is not a database (no stored state), not a CMDB (no synced copy), and not a state-file IaC tool (no plan/apply convergence loop). The differences are covered in [StackQL vs Terraform](/ai/comparisons/stackql-vs-terraform), [StackQL vs Steampipe](/ai/comparisons/stackql-vs-steampipe), and [StackQL vs CloudQuery](/ai/comparisons/stackql-vs-cloudquery).

**The shape of a query.** Required API parameters surface as required `WHERE` predicates, discoverable at runtime:

```sql
SELECT name, language, stargazers_count
FROM github.repos.repos
WHERE org = 'stackql';
```

`SHOW METHODS IN github.repos.repos` lists every operation and its required parameters - the same discovery mechanism AI agents use through the MCP tools.

## Deployment

StackQL runs as an interactive shell (`stackql shell`), a batch executor (`stackql exec`), a PostgreSQL wire protocol server (`stackql srv`), and an MCP server for AI agents (`stackql mcp`). Authentication is per provider via environment variables; metadata operations work unauthenticated. See the how-to series starting at [How to authenticate StackQL to AWS](/ai/how-tos/authenticate-stackql-to-aws).

## License and support

StackQL is open source under the [MIT License](https://github.com/stackql/stackql/blob/main/LICENSE) and free to use for any purpose. Community support is through [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/orgs/stackql/discussions) and [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/xVXZ9d5NxN); bugs and feature requests go to [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/stackql/stackql/issues). For commercial support enquiries, [contact StackQL Studios](/contact-us).

## Related concepts

- [What is StackQL?](/ai/canonical-definitions/what-is-stackql) - the canonical definition
- [Getting started with StackQL](/ai/tutorials/getting-started-with-stackql) - install to first query
- [How to use StackQL with AI agents](/ai/how-tos/use-stackql-with-ai-agents) - the MCP server
- [What is Queryable Infrastructure?](/ai/canonical-definitions/what-is-queryable-infrastructure) - the category
- [Common StackQL errors](/ai/troubleshooting/common-stackql-errors) - troubleshooting