whichdb
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Apache DataFusion vs DuckDB

Apache DataFusion: Extensible Rust query engine library on Apache Arrow for building databases and data systems. DuckDB: In-process columnar SQL database: the SQLite of analytics, running inside your app or notebook.

key differences

  • Horizontal scaling is addon in Apache DataFusion and none in DuckDB.
  • Transactions: Apache DataFusion offers none ACID; DuckDB offers full.
  • Only DuckDB has transactions, secondary indexes, full-text search, vector search, geospatial.

choose apache-datafusion for

  • +Building custom databases and query engines
  • +Embedded SQL in Rust services
  • +Accelerating Spark via Comet
  • +Query layer for time-series or log stores

best at · OLAP, Embedded, Lakehouse

choose duckdb for

  • +Local data analysis in notebooks
  • +ETL and data-engineering pipelines on files
  • +Embedded analytics inside applications
  • +Querying data lakes on S3 without a cluster

best at · OLAP, Embedded, Lakehouse

Apache DataFusionExtensible Rust query engine library on Apache Arrow for building databases and data systems.
DuckDBIn-process columnar SQL database: the SQLite of analytics, running inside your app or notebook.
overview
Primary model
Columnar / OLAP
Columnar / OLAP
Also supports
Relational
Relational, Document, Spatial, Vector
Type
Embedded library
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Apache Software Foundation
DuckDB Foundation / DuckDB Labs
First release
2019
2019
Latest version
55.2.0 (Oct 7, 2026)
2.0.0 (Oct 21, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
31.6
63.7
Rank
#76
#13
GitHub stars
9.5K
42.6K
Stack Overflow questions
–
501
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Addon
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
None
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, In memory
Embedded, Single node, In memory
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
—
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
✓
✓
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
–
capabilities
Transactions
—
✓
Joins
✓
✓
Secondary indexes
—
✓
Full-text search
—
✓
Vector search
—
✓
Geospatial
—
✓
JSON
—
✓
Change data capture
—
—
Triggers
—
—
Stored procedures
—
—
Materialized views
—
—
TTL / expiry
—
—
Pub/Sub
—
—
Columnar storage
✓
✓
In-memory
✓
✓
Durable persistence
—
✓
Compression
—
✓
Encryption at rest
—
✓
Role-based access
—
—
Time travel
—
—
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
—
Streaming ingest
—
—
Offline sync
—
—
Runs in WebAssembly
✓
✓
interfaces
Query languages
SQL, DataFrame API (Rust/Python), Substrait
SQL (PostgreSQL-like dialect)
Client languages
Rust, Python
Python, R, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C, Swift
Best for
OLAP, Embedded, Lakehouse
OLAP, Embedded, Lakehouse, Warehouse
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Apache DataFusion vs DuckDB: FAQ

What is the difference between Apache DataFusion and DuckDB?

Apache DataFusion: Extensible Rust query engine library on Apache Arrow for building databases and data systems. DuckDB: In-process columnar SQL database: the SQLite of analytics, running inside your app or notebook. Horizontal scaling is addon in Apache DataFusion and none in DuckDB. Transactions: Apache DataFusion offers none ACID; DuckDB offers full. Only DuckDB has transactions, secondary indexes, full-text search, vector search, geospatial.

When should I choose Apache DataFusion over DuckDB?

Choose Apache DataFusion for building custom databases and query engines; embedded SQL in Rust services; and accelerating Spark via Comet. Choose DuckDB for local data analysis in notebooks; ETL and data-engineering pipelines on files; and embedded analytics inside applications.

Is Apache DataFusion or DuckDB more popular?

DuckDB ranks #13 on the WhichDB Score (63.7/100) and Apache DataFusion ranks #76 (31.6/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Apache DataFusion and DuckDB open source?

Yes. Apache DataFusion is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. DuckDB is open source. License: MIT License.