---
nextjs:
  metadata:
    title: TerminusDB, a git-for-data JSON and RDF graph and document database
    description: TerminusDB provides Semantic Document Graph Infrastructure; a model-based, in-memory, and distributed RDF and JSON graph database with git-for-data collaboration
    alternates:
      canonical: https://terminusdb.org
    keywords: git-for-data, graph, RDF, JSON, document, database
---

TerminusDB is the modern graph database for knowledge graphs and semantic content infrastructures. Learn how to get started with TerminusDB in under thirty minutes. {% .lead %}

{% callout type="note" title="TerminusDB version 12 released 2025-12-08" %}
TerminusDB version 12 is out. It includes a number of new features and improvements. See [/blog/terminusdb-12-release](/blog/2025-12-08-terminusdb-12-release/) for more information.
{% /callout %}

{% quick-links %}

{% quick-link title="Installation" icon="installation" href="/docs/get-started/" description="Step-by-step guides to setting up your system and installing the library." /%}

{% quick-link title="Query unification" icon="presets" href="/docs/unification-of-variables-in-datalog/" description="Learn about the core differentiator of the query engine: query variable unification." /%}

{% quick-link title="TerminusDB Open Source" icon="plugins" href="/docs/terminusdb-explanation/" description="Learn more about the Apache 2.0 licensed TerminusDB database." /%}

{% quick-link title="Documents and Git-for-Data" icon="theming" href="/docs/documents-explanation/" description="Learn about the RDF Graph Documents API and Git-for-Data features." /%}

{% /quick-links %}

TerminusDB provides a special-purpose closed world assumption RDF knowledge graph implementation with high performance in-memory performance leveraging succinct auto-indexing datastructures.

It offers controlled document API interfaces with a terse JSON-LD-like syntax, GraphQL for precise data query needs and a datalog logical engine with variables bindings for complex queries across the graph.

It includes features that are important when building semantic content infrastructures for complex environments: with immutable history and git-for-data/git-for-graphs branching, merging and synchronization. In effect, it provides a foundation for building a graph data mesh with RDF closed world data products.

The [product tour](/docs/product-tour/) aims to provide you with an understanding of how to navigate the product and get started on your projects.

## Community

Join the TerminusDB Community [Discord](https://discord.gg/yTJKAma) to get help and support from the community and see what others are building.

More ways to connect is on [GitHub](https://github.com/terminusdb/terminusdb), or explore the [DFRNT Studio](https://dfrnt.com/hypergraph-content-studio/) modeller product by the new maintainers of TerminusDB since 2025.

## Quick start

The easiest way to get started with TerminusDB knowledge graphs is with a cloud instance from the official TerminusDB hosting provider, [DFRNT.com](https://dfrnt.com/hypergraph-content-studio/). It provides a complete enhanced entity relations knowledge graph data modeller, git-for-data synchronization, graph visualisations, GraphQL, APIs and a complete datalog studio with and an easy-to-use model-driven form-based record editor.

TerminusDB is open source and free to use under the Apache 2.0 license. Get started with the open source community version on your own computer, by [getting started with Docker](/docs/install-terminusdb-as-a-docker-container/).

The cloud modeller, visualisations and records management tool works with both localhost open source TerminusDB (connecting to your localhost:6363 port) and TerminusDB hosted in the cloud environments. Your can use git-for-data synchronizations of content repositories between cloud and localhost as a backup and for collaboration with peers.