whichdb
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BASIS vs OpenQM

BASIS: Keyed-file ISAM database plus SQL engine bundled with BASIS International's BBj Business BASIC platform. OpenQM: Compact MultiValue (Pick) database from Ladybridge, once GPL-licensed, now Rocket's entry-level MV product.

key differences

  • BASIS is primarily a relational database; OpenQM is multivalue (Pick).
  • Transactions: BASIS offers full ACID; OpenQM offers limited.
  • Only BASIS has joins, full-text search.
  • Only OpenQM has triggers.

choose basis for

  • +Back end for BBj/Business BASIC ERP and vertical business applications
  • +Exposing legacy keyed-file data to BI tools via ODBC/JDBC
  • +Modernising older BBx applications without a data migration

best at · OLTP

choose openqm for

  • +Hosting small Pick-based business applications
  • +Migrating off ageing Pick systems to commodity servers
  • +Learning the MultiValue model

best at · OLTP

BASISKeyed-file ISAM database plus SQL engine bundled with BASIS International's BBj Business BASIC platform.
OpenQMCompact MultiValue (Pick) database from Ladybridge, once GPL-licensed, now Rocket's entry-level MV product.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Multivalue (Pick)
Also supports
Key-Value
–
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
BASIS International Ltd.
Rocket Software (originally Ladybridge Systems)
First release
1985
1993
Latest version
BBj 26.02 (2026)
–
License
ProprietaryProprietary (BASIS licence)
ProprietaryProprietary (historic GPLv2 community edition)
Free tier
—
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
0.0
0.2
Rank
#693
#670
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Limited
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Flexible
Architecture
Client server, Single node
Client server, Single node
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, BBj / Business BASIC file verbs
QMBasic, QM query language
Client languages
BBj, Java, ODBC clients
C, Python, C#, Java
Best for
OLTP
OLTP
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

BASIS vs OpenQM: FAQ

What is the difference between BASIS and OpenQM?

BASIS: Keyed-file ISAM database plus SQL engine bundled with BASIS International's BBj Business BASIC platform. OpenQM: Compact MultiValue (Pick) database from Ladybridge, once GPL-licensed, now Rocket's entry-level MV product. BASIS is primarily a relational database; OpenQM is multivalue (Pick). Transactions: BASIS offers full ACID; OpenQM offers limited. Only BASIS has joins, full-text search.

When should I choose BASIS over OpenQM?

Choose BASIS for back end for BBj/Business BASIC ERP and vertical business applications; exposing legacy keyed-file data to BI tools via ODBC/JDBC; and modernising older BBx applications without a data migration. Choose OpenQM for hosting small Pick-based business applications, migrating off ageing Pick systems to commodity servers and learning the MultiValue model.

Is BASIS or OpenQM more popular?

OpenQM ranks #670 on the WhichDB Score (0.2/100) and BASIS ranks #693 (0.0/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are BASIS and OpenQM open source?

No. BASIS is proprietary, closed-source software. No. OpenQM is proprietary, closed-source software.