# Indicators (/docs/core-concepts/indicators)



Indicators answer the question: **"What evidence do we have that this trend is moving?"**

In Connect API, indicators currently come from two data patterns:

* **Document-indexed indicators** (POST requests with rich filter bodies):
  * Patents
  * Research Journals
* **Graph-based indicators** (GET requests with topic-centric query params):
  * Investments
  * Acquisitions
  * Organizations

Use this rule of thumb:

* Need flexible text/date/filter querying? Start with patents/research.
* Need ecosystem movement around companies and deals? Start with graph indicators.