Learning Resources Overview
The HPCC Systems platform is a remarkably powerful system for solving Big Data challenges — as you start learning the system, your ideas will begin to flow.
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Training
PLEASE NOTE: The Learning Center platform for our online classes will be undergoing an update the week of April 22. Please be sure to complete any classes in progress before that date. All completed work will be saved. This note will be updated as soon as the new learning center URL is available.
ECL is a remarkably powerful language for solving big data challenges — as you start learning the language, the ideas will begin to flow.
Our training options are sorted into learning tracks to make it easy to figure out what classes you should take in what order. First, select the learning track that best fits your needs. Once you have identified the courses you need, you can get started right away with our online classes or check the schedule and attend the next remote or in-person instructor led class.
Select Your Learning Track
Introduction to ECL (Part 1): Concepts and Queries
This class is for developers who want to understand HPCC Systems and learn ECL to build powerful data queries. Anyone who needs a basic familiarity with ECL should take this course.
Topics Include:
- HPCC Systems Overview (Thor and Roxie)
- Introduction to ECL Concepts and Syntax
- Using the ECL IDE and ECL Watch programming tools
- Flat and CSV File Sprays
- Defining Files (RECORD/DATASET)
- Record Filtering
- Basic Definition Types – Boolean, Value, Set, Recordset
- Creating Simple ECL Queries
- Managing your ECL Code
- Despraying Files
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: None
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Introduction to ECL (Part 2): Data Profiling and Transformation
This class is for developers who want to extend their knowledge of ECL to Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) any data with the HPCC Systems environment. Anyone planning to write and work with ECL code should attend this course.
Topics Include:
- Principles of ETL in ECL
- The TABLE Function (Memory Tables)
- TRANSFORM Functions (PROJECT, etc.)
- Data Hygiene (Cleaning and Standardization)
- Lookup Tables
- OUTPUT to Disk Files
- Simple JOINs
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Introduction to ECL (Part 1)
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Advanced ECL (Part 1): Working with Relational Data
This class examines in detail the ECL functions that make it easy to work with relational data in the HPCC Systems platform. ECL began as an extremely powerful query language built around easily querying into relational data. The techniques taught here reveal that power to its fullest.
Topics Include:
- Creating Hierarchical Relational Datasets (Nested Child Datasets)
- Nested Child Dataset Definitions (RECORD/DATASET)
- NORMALIZE and DENORMALIZE
- Complex Multi-level Relational Querying
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Introduction to ECL (Part 1) and Introduction to ECL (Part 2)
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Advanced ECL (Part 2): Super Files, Working with XML, Free-Form Text Parsing, and Machine Learning
This course explores the concept of Super Files in ECL and the techniques for working with XML data, getting it into your HPCC Systems cluster, and defining it to work with other data elements. This flows naturally into the detailed ECL support of Natural Language Parsing – creating pattern-matching definitions and using the PARSE function to extract data from either XML or free-form text.
Topics Include:
- SuperFiles and SuperKeys
- Simple XML Spray and Dataset Definition
- Working with XML Data (simple, complex, and nested)
- Complex XML Spraying and De-spraying
- PARSE with XML Data
- Spraying and defining free-form text data
- PARSE with free-form text
- New! An Introduction to Machine Learning
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Introduction to ECL (Part 1) and Introduction to ECL (Part 2)
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Applied ECL: ECL Code Generation Tools
This class is for developers who want to extend their knowledge of ECL to use the ECL code generation tools to automate operational tasks.
Topics Include:
- Creating and Using MACROs
- ECL’s Template Language
- Automating Processes
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Advanced ECL (Part 1)
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Roxie ECL (Part 1): Indexes and Queries
This class is for developers who want to extend their knowledge of ECL to developing Roxie queries for end-user use. In this course you will learn the benefits of payload indexes, as well as use of the indexed joins that make query results fast. Anyone planning to write ECL code to provide final-product data to end-users should attend this course.
Topics Include:
- Defining and Creating INDEXes
- Using FETCH
- Creating Roxie Queries (STORED)
- Testing Queries in Thor
- Deploying to Roxie
- Payload Indexes
- Full and Half-Keyed JOINs
- Optimizing Queries (LIMIT, ATMOST, KEEP)
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Introduction to ECL (Part 1) and Introduction to ECL (Part 2)
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Roxie ECL (Part 2): Complex Query Development
Learn how to optimize and organize your Roxie queries for optimal performance. This class reviews and recommends best practices used in Roxie development, including INTERFACE, Half Keyed JOINS, LIMIT, superkeys, and package maps.
Topics Include:
- Using INTERFACE Structures with Roxie Queries
- Limiting Your Roxie Results (LIMIT, JOIN, CHOOSEN)
- Designing Queries Using Multiple Datasets
- Case Insensitive Searches
- Use of Superkeys in Roxie Queries
- Use of Package Maps for Query Organization
- Roxie-Specific Functions (PRELOAD, ALLNODES, etc.)
- Roxie Post Filtering
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Advanced ECL (Part 2) and Roxie ECL (Part 1)
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
Applied ECL: Special Projects
This class helps developers level up their skills from Student ECL Coder to Journeyman ECL Coder through a supervised real-world project.
Topics Include:
- One real-world project proposed by the student(s) and agreed to by the Instructor.
- Mentoring at every step, with guidance from project planning through completion.
- Regularly scheduled remote (Teams/Webex) meetings.
- Code Review
- Progress Evaluation
Class prerequisites: All other ECL Core Classes
Machine Learning with HPCC Systems
This course explores the fundamentals of Machine Learning with ECL, and explores many of the supported open source Machine Learning bundles.
Topics Include:
- Introduction to Machine Learning
- A Learning Tree Tutorial
- Using the Myriad Interface
- Introduction to Deep Learning
- Generalized Neural Network (GNN) Tutorial
- Using the KMeans Bundle
- Using the DBSCAN Bundle
Self-paced, online class
Class prerequisites: Introduction to ECL (Part 2)
Introduction to HPCC Systems for Managers
This class is for anyone who wants to understand the HPCC Systems platform and see how ECL can build powerful data queries. Any manager who needs a basic familiarity with HPCC Systems should take this course.
Topics Include:
- HPCC Systems Overview (Thor and Roxie)
- Introduction to ECL Concepts and Syntax
- Introduction to the ECL IDE and ECL Watch programming tools
- Creating Simple ECL Queries
Instructor-led course length: 1 day
Class prerequisites: None
Students are welcome to bring their own laptops to take away the code and examples from the class.
HPCC Systems Administration
This course is for anyone who wishes to maintain and manage an HPCC Systems Cluster. Lessons focus on the daily operations of an HPCC Systems Administrator, and introduces best practices that have been recommended by members of our in-house LexisNexis RISK Solutions HPCC Systems team.
Topics Include:
- HPCC Systems Architectural Overview
- Routine Maintenance
- HPCC Systems Preflight
- Using the Configuration Manager
- Best Practices and Troubleshooting
Self-paced, online class
Class prerequisites: None
Introduction to HPCC Systems Administration: Thor Clusters
This class is for system administrators who will be maintaining Thor environments.
Topics Include:
- HPCC Systems Overview (Thor and Roxie)
- Introduction to ECL Concepts and Syntax
- Using the ECL IDE and ECL Watch Programming Tools
- Flat and CSV File Sprays
- Defining Files (RECORD/DATASET)
- Configuration and Maintenance of Thor Systems
- Troubleshooting
Instructor-led course length: 3 days
Class prerequisites: None
Informal Thor and Roxie Administration classes are presented by the LexisNexis Risk Solutions HPCC Systems Operations team in Boca Raton when requested. Please contact us at training@hpccsystems.com for more information.
Advanced HPCC Systems Administration: Roxie Clusters
This class is for system administrators who will be maintaining Roxie environments.
Topics Include:
- Configuration of Roxie Systems
- Maintenance of Roxie Systems
- Troubleshooting
Instructor-led course length: 2 days
Class prerequisites: Introduction to HPCC Systems Administration: Thor Clusters
Informal Thor and Roxie Administration classes are presented by the LexisNexis Risk Solutions HPCC Systems Operations team in Boca Raton when requested. Please contact us at training@hpccsystems.com for more information.
Get Started
Want to do a little more testing before you install a full cluster? If you’re ready to start building your Data Lake, you can jump straight to learning about how to install your first complete HPCC Systems cluster. Interested in learning just how powerful, flexible and efficient ECL really is? Take a look at our ECL guide.
Localized Machine
Containerized deployments using Docker Desktop or Minikube are easier to start up locally and provide more flexibility and stability.
Documentation & Training
Tackling Big Data problems? We’ve got you covered, with documentation and training to support you from initial installation all the way to power user.
Get Up and Running
Get a high level overview to help new users get started with HPCC Systems and ECL (Enterprise Control Language).
Test Drive
Test our code in a virtual playground using a sample dataset. Or, Create your own high performance computing cluster (Thor) and/or query cluster (Roxie).
Resources for You
Whether you are new to HPCC Systems or an experienced pro, there’s always more to learn. We have reorganized our resources by topic and by media type so that you can view info you want in the way that you want to view it.
Resources by Media Type
Choose your favorite media type and then browse or search for the topic you are looking for.
Resources by Topic
Choose your favorite topic and then browse for the learning media you like best.
Community Learning Resources
Engage with experts from the HPCC Systems community and hear about the latest trends, breakthroughs, challenges and opportunities in the world of Big Data.
Hands on practice
ECL Learning Sandbox
View common ECL syntax elements and get hands on practice to help you begin coding quickly.
Connect with experts
Forums
Receive peer to peer support on our Stack Overflow forums. Ask questions specific to your development or read and answer questions others have posted.
Get the latest insights
Blogs
Read blogs to help you get started or get the latest platform updates from our development team.
Upcoming Events
Join us at these upcoming events. Engage with experts from the HPCC Systems community and hear about the latest trends, breakthroughs, challenges and opportunities in the world of Big Data.
Boston, MA or Virtually
April 23 – 25, 2024
ODSC East 2024
Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
April 24 – 26, 2024
XXIV ERAD/RS
October 7 – 11, 2024
2024 HPCC Systems Community Summit
The 10th annual HPCC Systems Community Summit. General Talks, Breakout Sessions, Expo Hall, Poster Displays and Workshops.
Have a Question?
Check out our FAQ page. Browse the topics to discover more about HPCC Systems technology as well as answers to common questions about HPCC, ECL and more.