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dqlite vs SQLite

dqlite: Canonical's embeddable C library that makes SQLite highly available with Raft replication. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.

key differences

  • Licensing: dqlite is open source (copyleft) (LGPL-3.0 with static-linking exception); SQLite is open source (permissive) (Public Domain).
  • Only SQLite has full-text search, in-memory, runs in webassembly.

choose dqlite for

  • +Cluster state for infrastructure software (LXD, MicroK8s)
  • +Kubernetes datastore replacement for etcd via kine
  • +HA configuration stores in edge appliances
  • +Embedding a replicated database in Go services

best at · Coordination, Metadata, Embedded

choose sqlite for

  • +Mobile and desktop application storage
  • +Embedded devices and IoT
  • +Local-first apps and offline caches
  • +Test fixtures and data interchange files

best at · Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge

dqliteCanonical's embeddable C library that makes SQLite highly available with Raft replication.
SQLiteThe in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Relational
Also supports
–
Document
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Canonical
D. Richard Hipp / Hwaci (SQLite Consortium)
First release
2017
2000
Latest version
1.18.7 (Jul 2, 2026)
3.54.1 (Oct 16, 2026)
License
Open source (copyleft)LGPL-3.0 with static-linking exception
Open source (permissive)Public Domain
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
8.4
75.5
Rank
#324
#5
GitHub stars
4.4K
10.8K
Stack Overflow questions
–
94.9K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Flexible
Architecture
Embedded, Distributed
Embedded, 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
SQL
Client languages
C, Go, Python
C, Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C#, Swift
Best for
Coordination, Metadata, Embedded, Edge
Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge, Local-first
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

dqlite vs SQLite: FAQ

What is the difference between dqlite and SQLite?

dqlite: Canonical's embeddable C library that makes SQLite highly available with Raft replication. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. Licensing: dqlite is open source (copyleft) (LGPL-3.0 with static-linking exception); SQLite is open source (permissive) (Public Domain). Only SQLite has full-text search, in-memory, runs in webassembly.

When should I choose dqlite over SQLite?

Choose dqlite for cluster state for infrastructure software (LXD, MicroK8s); kubernetes datastore replacement for etcd via kine; and HA configuration stores in edge appliances. Choose SQLite for mobile and desktop application storage; embedded devices and IoT; and local-first apps and offline caches.

Is dqlite or SQLite more popular?

SQLite ranks #5 on the WhichDB Score (75.5/100) and dqlite ranks #324 (8.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are dqlite and SQLite open source?

Yes. dqlite is open source. License: LGPL-3.0 with static-linking exception. Yes. SQLite is open source. License: Public Domain.