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A high level view and getting set up.
:doc:`Overview <intro>` | :ref:`Installation Guide <installation>` | :doc:`Frequently Asked Questions <faq/index>` | :doc:`Migration from 1.1 <changelog/migration_12>` | :doc:`Glossary <glossary>` | :doc:`Changelog catalog <changelog/index>`
Here, the Object Relational Mapper is introduced and fully described. If you want to work with higher-level SQL which is constructed automatically for you, as well as automated persistence of Python objects, proceed first to the tutorial.
- Read this first: :doc:`orm/tutorial`
- ORM Configuration: :doc:`Mapper Configuration <orm/mapper_config>` | :doc:`Relationship Configuration <orm/relationships>`
- Configuration Extensions: :doc:`Declarative Extension <orm/extensions/declarative/index>` | :doc:`Association Proxy <orm/extensions/associationproxy>` | :doc:`Hybrid Attributes <orm/extensions/hybrid>` | :doc:`Automap <orm/extensions/automap>` | :doc:`Mutable Scalars <orm/extensions/mutable>` | :doc:`Indexable <orm/extensions/indexable>`
- ORM Usage: :doc:`Session Usage and Guidelines <orm/session>` | :doc:`Loading Objects <orm/loading_objects>` | :doc:`Cached Query Extension <orm/extensions/baked>`
- Extending the ORM: :doc:`ORM Events and Internals <orm/extending>`
- Other: :doc:`Introduction to Examples <orm/examples>`
The breadth of SQLAlchemy's SQL rendering engine, DBAPI integration, transaction integration, and schema description services are documented here. In contrast to the ORM's domain-centric mode of usage, the SQL Expression Language provides a schema-centric usage paradigm.
- Read this first: :doc:`core/tutorial`
- All the Built In SQL: :doc:`SQL Expression API <core/expression_api>`
- Engines, Connections, Pools: :doc:`Engine Configuration <core/engines>` | :doc:`Connections, Transactions <core/connections>` | :doc:`Connection Pooling <core/pooling>`
- Schema Definition: :doc:`Overview <core/schema>` | :ref:`Tables and Columns <metadata_describing_toplevel>` | :ref:`Database Introspection (Reflection) <metadata_reflection_toplevel>` | :ref:`Insert/Update Defaults <metadata_defaults_toplevel>` | :ref:`Constraints and Indexes <metadata_constraints_toplevel>` | :ref:`Using Data Definition Language (DDL) <metadata_ddl_toplevel>`
- Datatypes: :ref:`Overview <types_toplevel>` | :ref:`Building Custom Types <types_custom>` | :ref:`API <types_api>`
- Core Basics: :doc:`Overview <core/api_basics>` | :doc:`Runtime Inspection API <core/inspection>` | :doc:`Event System <core/event>` | :doc:`Core Event Interfaces <core/events>` | :doc:`Creating Custom SQL Constructs <core/compiler>` |
The dialect is the system SQLAlchemy uses to communicate with various types of DBAPIs and databases. This section describes notes, options, and usage patterns regarding individual dialects.