> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://mariadb.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://mariadb.com/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started.md).

# Get Started

A step-by-step introduction to GridGain 9: start a cluster, run SQL, persist data, use the Java API, work with secondary storage, and connect monitoring.

This section walks you through the essentials of working with GridGain 9, from starting your first cluster to exploring SQL, persisting data, using the Java API, secondary storage for analytics, and connecting monitoring.

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[Quick Start](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/quick-start.md)
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Install and start GridGain 9, then run SQL queries against the cluster using the CLI tool.
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[Start a GridGain 9 Cluster](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/start-cluster.md)
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Set up and run a three-node GridGain 9 cluster using Docker containers, then initialize and verify it.
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[How to Start a Cluster With Docker Compose](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/start-cluster-docker-compose.md)
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Start a 3-node GridGain 9 cluster for development using Docker Compose.
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[Start Your Local GridGain 9 Development Cluster](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/start-local-cluster.md)
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Start a local GridGain 9 cluster and load the Music Store dataset used by the tutorials.
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[How to Work With the GridGain CLI](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/cli-tool-step-by-step.md)
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Connect to a cluster, execute SQL, and manage cluster state using the GridGain 9 command-line interface.
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[Explore SQL Capabilities](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/explore-sql.md)
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Use the GridGain 9 SQL command-line interface to build, populate, and query the sample Chinook database on a distributed cluster.
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[Persist Your Data](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/persist-data.md)
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Set up and use GridGain 9's RocksDB-based persistent storage with the Chinook database in a Docker environment, and verify that data survives a restart.
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[Use the Java API](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/java-api.md)
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Build a Java application that connects to a GridGain 9 cluster and works with data through the RecordView and KeyValueView table APIs.
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[Explore Secondary Storage for Analytics](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/secondary-storage.md)
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Configure GridGain 9 secondary columnar storage to run analytical queries alongside transactional workloads in a hybrid HTAP setup.
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[Embedded Mode](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/embedded-mode.md)
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How to start and manage a GridGain 9 cluster from a Java project using embedded mode.
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[Learning Paths](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/learning-paths.md)
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Tutorials that take you from a local cluster to SQL, the Java thin client, transactions, schema design, and data streaming.
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[How-To Guides](/docs/gridgain/gridgain-9/gridgain9-get-started/how-to-guides.md)
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Task-focused guides for logging, cluster lifecycle, and monitoring.
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