Data sources
This section defines the data sources that your app can connect to such as databases, APIs, and AI services. It is where you set up the endpoints that allow widgets to pull, filter, and visualize live data. Data sources are the foundation that powers your queries, filters, and dashboard content. If you configure Concert Data Apps, then you can connect to specific APIs or databases, run queries (SQL, REST, or GraphQL), feed widgets with real-time data, and use multiple sources across different widgets.
Data source types
- SQL databases
- Used for querying structured business data.
Table 1. Different data source types Types Description PostgreSQL Standard SQL database; ideal for most data use cases. IBM DB2 Enterprise-grade database used in corporate systems. Databricks For querying large-scale or analytics-heavy data lakes. PrestoDB For running fast, distributed SQL queries. watsonx.data IBM’s scalable lakehouse, ideal for analytics + AI. - APIs
- Used for integrating data from external services.
Table 2. Different supported api data sources Types Description Concert Same instance Concert REST endpoints. REST Custom REST endpoints for flexible integrations. AppConnect For connecting to IBM workflows and services. Zapier No-code tool to pull data from apps like Sheets, Slack, etc. Make Similar to Zapier; connects your app to third-party services. watsonx.data IBM’s scalable lakehouse, ideal for analytics + AI. - GraphQL
- Used when you need structured API queries with specific field selection.
Table 3. Supported GraphQL data sources Types Description Generic GraphQL Connect to any custom GraphQL endpoint. Hasura Instant GraphQL API over PostgreSQL; good for real-time data. IBM API Connect (GraphQL) Secure GraphQL endpoints via IBM tools. - Headless BI
- Used for pre-aggregated, high-performance dashboard data.
Table 4. Supported headless BI data sources Types Description Cube Fast API access to pre-modeled datasets for visualizations. - AI Services
- Used to embed machine learning or generative AI into your app.
Table 5. Supported AI service data sources Types Description watsonx.ai IBM’s AI engine for smart predictions, text, or automation.