bbolt vs LMDB
bbolt: etcd's maintained fork of BoltDB: a simple, pure-Go B+tree store in a single file. LMDB: Tiny memory-mapped B+tree with ACID transactions and lock-free readers; reached 1.0 in 2026.
key differences
- LMDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than bbolt (≤ 100 GB).
choose bbolt for
- +Embedded metadata stores in Go services
- +Raft log and snapshot storage
- +Local state for CLIs and agents
best at · Embedded, Metadata, Coordination
choose lmdb for
- +Read-heavy embedded indexes and caches
- +Directory services (OpenLDAP back-mdb)
- +Blockchain and wallet state
- +ML dataset storage with fast random reads
best at · Embedded, Metadata, Local-first
bbolt vs LMDB: FAQ
What is the difference between bbolt and LMDB?
bbolt: etcd's maintained fork of BoltDB: a simple, pure-Go B+tree store in a single file. LMDB: Tiny memory-mapped B+tree with ACID transactions and lock-free readers; reached 1.0 in 2026. LMDB is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than bbolt (≤ 100 GB).
When should I choose bbolt over LMDB?
Choose bbolt for embedded metadata stores in Go services; raft log and snapshot storage; and local state for CLIs and agents. Choose LMDB for read-heavy embedded indexes and caches; directory services (OpenLDAP back-mdb); and blockchain and wallet state.
Is bbolt or LMDB more popular?
LMDB ranks #47 on the WhichDB Score (39.7/100) and bbolt ranks #282 (11.5/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are bbolt and LMDB open source?
Yes. bbolt is open source. License: MIT License. Yes. LMDB is open source. License: OpenLDAP Public License 2.8.