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Chronicle Map vs Ehcache

Chronicle Map: Off-heap, memory-mapped key-value store for Java with microsecond latency and cross-process sharing. Ehcache: The standard embedded JVM cache, with heap, off-heap and disk tiers and optional Terracotta clustering.

key differences

  • Chronicle Map is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than Ehcache (≤ 100 GB).
  • Horizontal scaling is none in Chronicle Map and addon in Ehcache.
  • Only Ehcache has ttl / expiry.

choose chronicle-map for

  • +Low-latency reference data and order-book state in trading systems
  • +Sharing state between JVM processes on one host
  • +Large off-heap caches that survive restarts

best at · Cache, Tick data, Embedded

choose ehcache for

  • +Hibernate second-level cache
  • +Spring @Cacheable method caching
  • +Local caching of reference data in JVM services

best at · Cache, Embedded

Chronicle MapOff-heap, memory-mapped key-value store for Java with microsecond latency and cross-process sharing.
EhcacheThe standard embedded JVM cache, with heap, off-heap and disk tiers and optional Terracotta clustering.
overview
Primary model
Key-Value
Key-Value
Also supports
–
–
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Chronicle Software
Terracotta (IBM)
First release
2014
2003
Latest version
2026.1 (Jan 29, 2026)
3.12.0 (Apr 3, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
8.7
17.6
Rank
#321
#188
GitHub stars
3K
2.1K
Stack Overflow questions
122
2.4K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Addon
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Strong
Strong, Eventual
Schema
Flexible
Schemaless
Architecture
Embedded, In memory
Embedded, 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
Java Map API
Java API
Client languages
Java
Java
Best for
Cache, Tick data, Embedded
Cache, Embedded
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Chronicle Map vs Ehcache: FAQ

What is the difference between Chronicle Map and Ehcache?

Chronicle Map: Off-heap, memory-mapped key-value store for Java with microsecond latency and cross-process sharing. Ehcache: The standard embedded JVM cache, with heap, off-heap and disk tiers and optional Terracotta clustering. Chronicle Map is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than Ehcache (≤ 100 GB). Horizontal scaling is none in Chronicle Map and addon in Ehcache. Only Ehcache has ttl / expiry.

When should I choose Chronicle Map over Ehcache?

Choose Chronicle Map for low-latency reference data and order-book state in trading systems; sharing state between JVM processes on one host; and large off-heap caches that survive restarts. Choose Ehcache for hibernate second-level cache, spring @Cacheable method caching and local caching of reference data in JVM services.

Is Chronicle Map or Ehcache more popular?

Ehcache ranks #188 on the WhichDB Score (17.6/100) and Chronicle Map ranks #321 (8.7/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Chronicle Map and Ehcache open source?

Yes. Chronicle Map is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. Ehcache is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.