SQLite Rocks and Here's Why

Here are some reasons why you should be using SQLite with your apps:

It is fast

SQLite is an embedded database so the database engine gets built right into your app. It is also designed for incredible speed. It can handle millions of rows with ease.

It is typeless

Unlike other databases, SQLite does not care what type of data you put into a column. In fact, it really doesn’t use types at all! Columns are assigned an “affinity” of INTEGER, REAL, TEXT and BLOB which helps determine how they are used for queries and functions. But you can stick text data into an integer column without a problem. You can read more about SQLite’s unique handling of Data Types on their documentation page.

It is cross-platform

SQLite works on every platform imaginable, including: Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, web, iOS and Android. Additionally, the database files themselves are cross-platform. So if you create a database and populate with data on iOS, you can move the file over to Windows and be able to read, write and otherwise use it without trouble. This makes SQLite a great fit for cross-platform development tools like Xojo.

It is public domain

Because it is public domain, SQLite is complete free to use with no restrictions of any kind. And the full source code is readily available, of course.

It works with most programming languages

Most programming languages have built-in support for SQLite, including: Delphi, C, C#, C++, Go, Java, JavaScript, LiveCode, Lue, Objective-C, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, Visual Basic and Xojo. With Xojo you can use SQLite with desktop, web, console and iOS apps.

It is updated often

SQLite is a mature database with few bugs, but it is updated often to ensure it remains at its best quality. If any bugs sneak in, they are quickly squashed.

It is fast

SQLite is so fast that it is worth saying again. Seriously, it is fast. Don’t use a text file or JSON or some other thing that will likely be much slower, especially when the files get large. Use SQLite and you’ll be happier.

It is used everywhere

It is a good bet that apps you rely on are using SQLite in some way. It is a great storage mechanism for preferences, general app data and can even be used as the app file format itself. For example, Apple Mail uses SQLite to save email messages and Firefox uses SQLite databases to store much of its profile information.