SQLite

Score8 out of 10

47 Reviews and Ratings

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 one of the most widely deployed databases in the world.

Categories & Use Cases

Manidipa Kundu View profile

Data Analyst in Quality Assurance at Gfactors (11-50 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use SQLite to store local data as it has zero maintenance deployment. Since it is lightweight, embedded database , has high performance without a dedicated server. we are running relational database server (like PostgreSQL or MySQL) so SQLite add no unnecessary complexity.The business problems we are solving with SQLite as it can use as offline tool. It is really fast to setup as a software. High performance for single-user or embedded workloads since it easily compatible with windows or mac os.
scope of our use case includes storing intermediate data during ETL process. we use it for light analytics for operation dashboards.

Pros

It basically work well on offline mode , easily syncs to backend file when connectivity restored.
SQLite provides transactional safety, even on unreliable devices like mobile phones and Raspberry Pis.
It provides fast reads & reliable writes.
easy to setup on various operating system.

Cons

it misses advanced SQL features.
its not suitable for big-data or high-throughput workflows.
Schema integrations can be more hectic than in PostgreSQL or MySQL.

Return on Investment

we had major cost savings while using it.
faster deployment helps with our productivity.
it increase our reliability for offline work.
Reduced ROI due to scalability and concurrency limitations

Usability

Alternatives Considered

DuckDB and PostgreSQL

Other Software Used

PostgreSQL, Doodle, Asana

Verified User

Employee in Research & Development (10,001+ employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

It is often a good fit to be used as integrated local database in mobile applications. The benefit is the good speed and that it's really small in size and does not depend on external libraries like Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime, which wouldn't exist on mobile platforms anyway. It is also widely supported by programming environments like Embarcadero Delphi and there exist some GUI tools for modifying the database structure or entering and reading data contained in the database.

Pros

Speed
Ease of use
Small footprint

Cons

It is not fully ACID compliant
The encryption offered is a paid offering and not cheap

Return on Investment

It made my mobile application fast
It helped keeping the size of the app reasonable

Usability

Alternatives Considered

FirebirdSQL

Other Software Used

Delphi, FirebirdSQL, Apache Subversion, GitKraken

Markus Hopfenspirger View profile

Freelancer - Senior Software Architekt in Manufacturing at MaHop.Net the Software Copmany (1-10 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use it as a database for my mobile Apps developed with C# Xamarin / Maui and for a couple of smaller WebApps developed with C# and ASP.Net Core.

Pros

Performance is very good
Data Security in case of Crashes during a transaction
Ease of use

Cons

Native encryption support
Better C# integration

Most Important Features

Simple to use
Good Performance
Reliable

Return on Investment

Faster App Development

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, MongoDB and MySQL

Other Software Used

Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Sumon K Chowdhury View profile

Asst. Software Specialist in Information Technology at i-Tech Software Ltd. (11-50 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

SQLite is an excellent tool because it's easy to use with many languages, especially C#. Because SQLite is quicker and easier to integrate, we use it for C++ applications. And yes, we also used it with web and mobile applications when we needed instant access to a small database. It's the most widely used database with many high-profile applications. We can use it to create long-term storage for our applications without installing anything. It is a transactional SQL database engine self-contained, serverless, and requires zero configuration. This software is fast, reliable, suitable for small and big projects, user-friendly, and easy to learn.

Pros

Easy-to-use.
An easy-to-use query.
Simple to understand syntax.
Simple in both operation and integration.
In Android applications, it is simple to use.
Frequently updated cross-platform database.

Cons

The transaction moves slowly.
Too many search windows are confusing.
Database size is limited to about 2GB, which is not good.

Most Important Features

Lightweight database.
Optimizing syntax is easy.
Faster than other databases.
Data retrieval occurs quickly.
Installation and setup are easy.

Return on Investment

Cross-platforms like iOS, Android, MAC, and Windows are all supported.
Extremely user-friendly, both in terms of using it and writing queries to run on it.
JSON and CSV files are supported. SQLite can use in-memory and external files.
SQLite market has a plethora of third-party ORM and data layers that make life easier for developers and save time.

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft SQL Server

Other Software Used

InfluxDB, Microsoft Access, Cisco Jabber

Bradley Wilson

Database Administrator in Information Technology at Colton Joint Unified School District (1001-5000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

SQLite has been instrumental in our ETL pipeline. We utilize it heavily to ingest JSON and XML from multiple sources like Rest API, SFTP, and WebDAV repositories. It is performant for our needs and allows our development staff to work in a familiar language for them, reducing our technical debt and improving our response time. We manipulate our data on the client and package it for export or import to our primary RDBMS solution. The extra data transformation tools SQLite has available made it an easy choice to make use of.

Pros

Direct data transformation from JSON/CSV to table
Easy to format data exported to desired layout and file type
Direct ingestion from Rest API
Familiar language syntax for SQL Server developers

Cons

Lack of procedures makes for convoluted data manipulation via nested triggers
Linked Server with MySQL/SQL Server would be very much appreciated
Basic Table manipulation, not drop and recreate

Most Important Features

Direct JSON/CSV integration
Portability. We can develop on multiple platforms, then ship and get the same consistent behavior
Performant. Some of our integrations are in processed in real time from our internal application to an external source. If SQLite were not performant, we would explore an alternative solution.

Return on Investment

We have had to invest more time in our staff to learn and make use of SQLite properly
We have incurred more technical debt as we have introduced additional technology and complexity to our systems.
We are able to respond more rapidly to our end users needs.

Alternatives Considered

MySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL Server

Other Software Used

Microsoft SQL Server, Google Cloud SQL, Azure SQL Database