Before you begin running XQL queries, consider the following information:
* **Use the interface to help you build queries**
Cortex XSIAM offers features in the XQL search interface to help you build queries. For more information, see [Useful XQL user interface features](useful-xql-user-interface-features).
* **Mitigate long-running queries**
Querying the XDM enables searching of Cortex XSIAM's extensive data. We recommend that you use filters to streamline your queries. For more information, see [XQL Query best practices](xql-query-best-practices).
* **Understand query defaults and limitations**
Before you run a query, review this list to better understand query behavior and results. For more information, see [Expected results when querying fields](expected-results-when-querying-fields).
* **Translate Splunk queries to XQL**
If you have existing Splunk queries, you can translate them to XQL. For more information, see [Translate to XQL](translate-to-xql).
### Tip
If you are new to creating queries, you can also try our simple search templates, which can help you get started in understanding how queries work. See [Query Builder templates](../query-builder-templates).