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SQLite

SQLite is a relational database management system contained in a C library. It is a popular choice as an embedded database for local/client storage in software applications due to its compact size, reliability, and availability on most platforms.

What is SQLite?

SQLite is an in-process library that implements a self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration, transactional SQL database engine. The code for SQLite is in the public domain and is thus free for use for any purpose, commercial or private.

SQLite is the most widely deployed database in the world - it is used in most smartphones, browsers and embedded systems as well as many desktop applications. Unlike client–server database management systems, the SQLite engine has no standalone processes with which it communicates. Instead, the SQLite library is linked in and thus becomes an integral part of the application program.

Key features of SQLite include:

  • Self-contained: No external dependencies
  • Serverless: No configuration or administration needed
  • Zero-configuration: No setup or administration needed
  • Transactional: Atomic commit and rollback capabilities
  • Small size: Under 600KiB fully configured or under 400KiB with optional features omitted
  • Reliable: Over 1 trillion rows and 800+ terabyte databases
  • Full-featured: Most SQL92 features plus modern features
  • Available: Public domain license, supported on all major platforms

SQLite is a popular choice as an embedded database for local/client storage in software applications such as web browsers, mobile phones, wi-fi routers, digital cameras, media players and other embedded systems. It competes with other embedded databases such as Berkeley DB, Firebird SQL, MySQL Embedded and SQL Anywhere in this space.

The Best SQLite Alternatives

Top Apps like SQLite

CockroachDB, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, PlanetScale, SAP HANA, MySQL Community Edition, Oracle Database, IBM Lotus Approach, MariaDB, HSQLDB, H2 Database Engine, Titan Database, RethinkDB, Microsoft SQL Server Compact, Apache HBase, QueryPie, IBM DB2, Couchbase, UnQLite, DuckDB, CouchDB, Sybase Advantage Database Server, Sqlite Page Explorer, MarkLogic, VoltDB, Mimer SQL, LemonGraph, VistaDB, ObjectBox, CUBRID Database, Amazon RDS, Matisse, NuoDB, Oracle TimesTen, dBworx, Action PSQL, Polyhedra RDBMS, ScimoreDB, DeepDB, Postgres-XC, Valentina DB ADK, Starcounter, pyzdb, OrbitDB, Clustrix, DropConfig, EdgeDB, SAP MaxDB, Frontbase are some alternatives to SQLite.

CockroachDB

CockroachDB is an open-source, distributed SQL database that provides scalability, survivability, and data consistency across multiple datacenters. Some key features include:Distributed architecture that scales horizontallyAutomated replication and failover for high availabilitySupport for strongly consistent ACID transactionsGeographic distribution of data across multiple datacentersAutomatic rebalancing and repair after failuresSQL interface with...

Microsoft SQL Server

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) developed by Microsoft. It is used for storing, retrieving, managing and analyzing data. SQL Server supports both online transaction processing (OLTP) and data warehousing workloads. Key features include:Support for structured, semi-structured and unstructured dataIn-Memory OLTP for faster transaction processingColumnstore...

MongoDB

MongoDB is an open-source, document database designed for ease of development and scaling. Some key advantages of MongoDB include:Document Model: MongoDB stores data in flexible, JSON-like documents rather than rows and columns used in traditional RDBMS. This allows for dynamic schemas and easy data manipulation.Scaling: MongoDB is highly...

PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system with over 30 years of active development. It has earned a strong reputation for its proven architecture, reliability, data integrity, robust feature set, extensibility, and the dedication of the open source community behind the software to consistently deliver performant and innovative solutions...

PlanetScale

PlanetScale is a relational database platform built for serverless applications. It is designed to be highly scalable, reliable, and easy to use.Key features of PlanetScale include:MySQL compatibility - Uses the MySQL protocol and SQL syntax, making it easy to migrate existing applications.Auto-scaling - The database scales up...

SAP HANA

SAP HANA is an in-memory, column-oriented, relational database management system developed and marketed by SAP SE. It provides real-time access to business data by storing the data in random access memory (RAM) instead of slower disk storage. This allows for much faster data processing and analytics.Some key features and...

MySQL Community Edition

MySQL Community Edition is a free and open source relational database management system (RDBMS). It uses Structured Query Language (SQL) and is one of the most popular database servers used for web applications. Some key features include:High performance database engine with support for high volume data and concurrent usersCross...

Oracle Database

Oracle Database is a powerful, enterprise-level database management system developed and supported by Oracle Corporation. It is used by organizations across industries to store, organize, and process large amounts of data efficiently and securely.Some key features of Oracle Database include:Support for both relational and non-relational database structures like...

IBM Lotus Approach

IBM Lotus Approach is a discontinued Windows-based database software that was developed and sold by IBM Lotus Software in the 1990s. It combined relational database capabilities with integrated office productivity tools such as word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail, calendar, and time management.Some key features of Lotus Approach include:Relational database...

MariaDB

MariaDB is an open source relational database management system, created as a drop-in replacement for MySQL. It is developed by some of the original developers of MySQL and is intended to remain free and open source software under the GNU GPL.After Oracle acquired MySQL in 2010, the founders of MySQL...

HSQLDB

HSQLDB (HyperSQL DataBase) is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) written in Java. It offers a small, fast multithreaded and transactional database engine with in-memory and disk-based tables and supports embedded and server modes.Key features of HSQLDB include:Full support for standard SQL, JDBC API and PCI driversEmbedded...

H2 Database Engine

The H2 Database Engine is an open-source relational database management system written in Java. It can be embedded in Java applications or run in client-server mode, with either TCP or disk-based database files.Some key features of H2 include:Small footprint - The H2 jar file is around 2MB and...

Titan Database

Titan is an open-source, distributed graph database designed to handle large-scale graph data sets efficiently. It utilizes a NoSQL architecture and provides linear scalability, as well as real-time data access through a transactional database.Some key features of Titan Database include:Support for graph structures containing hundreds of billions of...

RethinkDB

RethinkDB is an open-source, distributed JSON document database designed for easy scalability and high availability. Some key features of RethinkDB include:JSON document storage with a flexible schemaIntuitive ReQL query languageChangefeeds for easy scale-out and replicationAutomatic sharding and failover handlingSimple administration with a clean CLI and web UIStrong consistency guaranteesPowerful...

Microsoft SQL Server Compact

Microsoft SQL Server Compact is a free, embedded database that software developers can redistribute with Windows desktop, mobile, and web applications for local data storage. It provides SQL Server database functionality in a small footprint with minimal system requirements.Key features of SQL Server Compact include:Small footprint - Around...

Apache HBase

Apache HBase is an open-source, distributed, versioned, non-relational database modeled after Google's Bigtable. It is written in Java and runs on top of HDFS (Hadoop Distributed File System), providing Bigtable-like capabilities for Hadoop.HBase provides fast random access to large amounts of structured data. It scales linearly to handle huge...

QueryPie

QueryPie is a business intelligence and data visualization software designed to help companies make sense of their data. It allows users without technical or data science expertise to easily connect to databases and spreadsheets, build SQL queries visually, and create interactive dashboards containing charts, graphs, and pivot tables.Some key...

IBM DB2

IBM DB2 is a proprietary relational database management system (RDBMS) that supports advanced database features for handling high-volume online transaction processing (OLTP) and analytics applications. Originally developed by IBM in the early 1980s for mainframe environments, DB2 runs on multiple platforms including Linux, UNIX, and Windows servers today.Key features...

Couchbase

Couchbase is an open source, distributed multi-model NoSQL document-oriented database that is optimized for interactive applications. It provides sub-millisecond data operations, distributed across a scalable and flexible database cluster infrastructure designed for performance, scalability, and availability.Key capabilities and features include:Document-oriented storage of JSON documents as well as support...

UnQLite

UnQLite is an embedded NoSQL database engine that provides a standard Key/Value store, as well as a Document Store with support for JSON documents. Some key features of UnQLite include:Written in pure C with no external dependencies, making it simple to integrate into applicationsFast in-memory and on-disk performance...

DuckDB

DuckDB is an embeddable SQL database management system that focuses on efficiency, robustness, and ease of use. It supports the SQL standard and can be embedded into applications written in languages like Python, Java, C/C++, and R.As an embedded database, DuckDB runs directly within an application instead of...

CouchDB

CouchDB is an open-source NoSQL document-oriented database that focuses on ease of use and scalability. It uses a document-based data model that maps neatly to objects in web applications and fits better with object-oriented programming techniques compared to a relational database structure.Some key features and aspects of CouchDB include...

Sybase Advantage Database Server

Sybase Advantage Database Server is a high-performance relational database management system designed for embedding in applications that require local data management. It offers a robust SQL database engine that delivers industrial-strength data management, securing business data with ACID compliance, referential integrity, and transaction processing.Key features include:ACID compliance for...

Sqlite Page Explorer

Sqlite Page Explorer is a free, open source software application used for browsing and editing SQLite database files. It provides a simple graphical interface that allows users to easily view and modify SQLite databases without needing to write SQL code.Some key features of Sqlite Page Explorer include:Viewing table...

MarkLogic

MarkLogic is an Enterprise NoSQL database platform optimized for building content-driven applications. It combines the features of a database, search engine, and application platform into a unified system.Some key capabilities and benefits of MarkLogic include:Document-oriented database with support for multiple data models like JSON, XML, graphs, geospatial, and...

VoltDB

VoltDB is an in-memory SQL database designed to enable fast data ingestion and low latency access for applications that need to process large volumes of data and transactions in real-time. Some key aspects of VoltDB:An in-memory database that keeps all data in RAM for faster access.A shared-nothing clustered...

Mimer SQL

Mimer SQL is a relational database management system developed by the Swedish company Mimer Information Technology. It supports the SQL standards, including support for transactions, referential integrity, triggers and stored procedures.Some key features of Mimer SQL include:Small footprint - The database server executable is around 1MB in size...

LemonGraph

LemonGraph is an open-source, schema-free graph database optimized for complex network analysis and AI projects. It provides high performance for traversing and querying highly connected graph data through its native graph storage and query engine.Key features of LemonGraph include:Schema-free data model that allows flexible property graphsNative graph storage...

VistaDB

VistaDB is an embedded database engine for .NET applications. It allows developers to integrate a full-featured SQL database into their .NET applications without the need for any external database servers or client software.Some key features of VistaDB include:ACID-compliant transaction processingSQL access via ADO.NET interfacesSmall footprint - less...

ObjectBox

ObjectBox is an open-source NoSQL embedded database designed specifically for mobile and IoT applications that require speed, simplicity and flexibility. Unlike traditional SQL databases, ObjectBox is optimized for accessing objects directly without the overhead of ORM mapping or object relational impedance mismatch.Here are some key capabilities and benefits of...

CUBRID Database

CUBRID is an open-source relational database management system developed by Naver Corporation and the CUBRID community. It is designed for high performance, availability, scalability, and flexibility to power web/mobile applications and enterprise systems.Some key features and capabilities of CUBRID Database include:High performance through efficient query processing, indexing...

Amazon RDS

Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) is a managed relational database service that provides resizable capacity and management capabilities for DB instances that use standard relational database engines. RDS enables you to operate production-ready databases in minutes with cost-efficient and resizable capacity.RDS provides automated patching, backups, read replicas, multi-region...

Matisse

Matisse is a feature-rich vector graphics software designed for Windows. It enables users to create beautiful vector artwork from scratch for a wide range of purposes including illustrations, animations, UI/UX designs, logos, icons, diagrams, posters, and more.The application has an easy-to-use interface allowing both novice and professional illustrators...

NuoDB

NuoDB is a distributed SQL database management system designed for deployment in the cloud. It provides support for standard SQL queries while also delivering scalability, high availability, and performance through a distributed architecture.Some key features and capabilities of NuoDB include:Distributed architecture across multiple servers for scalability and resilienceIn-memory...

Oracle TimesTen

Oracle TimesTen is an in-memory, relational database management system that is designed to improve application performance and reduce system overhead for transaction-intensive applications. Unlike traditional disk-based relational databases, TimesTen holds databases fully in physical memory to avoid disk I/O delays during transactions.Key features of TimesTen include:Extreme performance...

DBworx

dBworx is a comprehensive suite of professional audio plug-ins and tools used for audio editing, processing, mastering, and restoration. Developed by Michael Rozenblit, it features a wide range of effects and capabilities to enhance audio quality, remove unwanted sounds, and prepare audio for professional use.Some of the key features...

Action PSQL

Action PSQL is a powerful SQL Editor with advanced capabilities and features aimed at software developers and data analysts working with PostgreSQL and other databases. The centerpiece of Action PSQL is the SQL Editor pane where you can write and debug SQL queries.The SQL Editor provides syntax highlighting for...

Polyhedra RDBMS

Polyhedra is an open-source relational database management system developed by Polyhedra Database Limited. It is designed for high availability and scalability in cloud and distributed environments.Some key features of Polyhedra include:Multi-master replication - Allows multiple nodes to concurrently accept write operations while continuously replicating to other nodesAutomatic failover...

ScimoreDB

ScimoreDB is an open-source NoSQL document database that is specifically optimized for storing, organizing, and analyzing scientific data. It was originally developed at the Scripps Research Institute to meet the data management challenges faced in modern biological, biomedical, and chemistry research.Unlike traditional relational databases, ScimoreDB employs a flexible schema-less...

DeepDB

DeepDB is a next-generation database management system that leverages artificial intelligence and deep learning to optimize database performance. It was created by a startup called DeepMatter to reimagine what a database can do.Some key features and benefits of DeepDB include:Automated query optimization using machine learning - DeepDB continuously...

Postgres-XC

Postgres-XC is an open-source, shared-nothing clustering extension for PostgreSQL. It allows PostgreSQL to scale out to handle write-intensive workloads across multiple nodes. Some key features:Horizontal scalability and load balancing - Add more nodes to scale out performance for handling heavy workloadsShared-nothing architecture - Nodes do not share resources, improving...

Valentina DB ADK

Valentina DB ADK is an open-source relational database management system designed for software developers to create database-centric applications. It includes both a database server and tools for rapid application development.Some key features of Valentina DB ADK:Visual database design and modelingAutomatic generation of forms, tables, reports etc based on...

Starcounter

Starcounter is an in-memory database platform optimized for developing high-performance web applications. Some key features of Starcounter include:Shared-nothing architecture that allows horizontal scaling across server nodesACID-compliant transactions with rollback supportJSON-based data storageDeclarative data binding to UI frameworks like React and AngularSupports .NET and C# for app developmentQuery optimization and...

Pyzdb

pyzdb is an open-source Python library that provides an object-relational mapping (ORM) and database abstraction layer for SQL databases. It aims to simplify database access and integrate seamlessly with Python code.Some key features of pyzdb include:Intuitive Pythonic interface for interacting with databases - avoids the need to write...

OrbitDB

OrbitDB is a decentralized peer-to-peer database built on top of IPFS, the InterPlanetary File System. It provides an easy-to-use API for storing and managing data in decentralized networks and applications.Some key features of OrbitDB include:Peer-to-peer - Data is replicated directly between peers rather than relying on central serversDistributed...

Clustrix

Clustrix is a scale-out, distributed SQL database optimized for high performance analytics, machine learning, and operational workloads. Designed from the ground up as a scale-out relational database, Clustrix delivers sub-second response times and sustained performance with unprecedented linear scalability and fault-tolerance on commodity infrastructure. Leveraging patented distributed MVCC architecture, Clustrix...

DropConfig

DropConfig is an infrastructure automation and configuration management tool released under an open-source license. It allows system administrators and DevOps engineers to manage the configuration of servers, networks, containers, storage systems, and other infrastructure programmatically using code instead of manual processes.Key capabilities and benefits of DropConfig include:Infrastructure as...

EdgeDB

EdgeDB is an open-source object-relational database management system designed specifically for graph-like data models, flexible schemas, and complex queries. It combines the power and query capabilities of graph databases with the reliability and performance of relational databases.Key features of EdgeDB include:Declarative query language EdgeQL based on GraphQL, allowing...

SAP MaxDB

SAP MaxDB is a relational database management system originally developed by MySQL and then by SAP SE. It is optimized for use with SAP business applications such as SAP ERP, SAP CRM, SAP SCM, and SAP SRM.Some key capabilities and benefits of SAP MaxDB include:High performance for transactional...

Frontbase

Frontbase is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that is designed to be lightweight, fast, and easily embeddable into applications. Some key features of Frontbase include:Written in ANSI C for portability and performanceSmall footprint - can run on devices with as little as 32MB of RAMFull support for...