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GemStone/S vs ODABA

GemStone/S: Smalltalk object database where application code runs inside the transactional object repository. ODABA: RUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge.

key differences

  • Licensing: GemStone/S is proprietary (Commercial; free Community licence); ODABA is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2).
  • GemStone/S is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than ODABA (≤ 100 GB).
  • Only GemStone/S has stored procedures, online schema changes.
  • ODABA can run embedded in your application process.

choose gemstone-s for

  • +Long-lived Smalltalk business systems in finance and logistics
  • +Seaside web applications (GLASS stack)

best at · OLTP

choose odaba for

  • +Terminology- and ontology-heavy business applications
  • +Rapid development of data-bound desktop GUIs with ODE tools

best at · OLTP, Metadata

GemStone/SSmalltalk object database where application code runs inside the transactional object repository.
ODABARUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge.
overview
Primary model
Object
Object
Also supports
–
–
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
GemTalk Systems
RUN Software-Werkstatt GmbH
First release
1986
1994
Latest version
3.7.6 (Aug 2026)
17.3.1 (Mar 14, 2026)
License
ProprietaryCommercial; free Community licence
Open source (copyleft)GNU GPL v2
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
6.1
1.2
Rank
#368
#572
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
Read replicas
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Strict
Architecture
Client server, Shared storage
Embedded, Client server
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
GemStone Smalltalk
OQL, OSI (ODABA Script Interface)
Client languages
Smalltalk, C, Java
C++, C#
Best for
OLTP
OLTP, Metadata
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

GemStone/S vs ODABA: FAQ

What is the difference between GemStone/S and ODABA?

GemStone/S: Smalltalk object database where application code runs inside the transactional object repository. ODABA: RUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge. Licensing: GemStone/S is proprietary (Commercial; free Community licence); ODABA is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2). GemStone/S is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than ODABA (≤ 100 GB). Only GemStone/S has stored procedures, online schema changes.

When should I choose GemStone/S over ODABA?

Choose GemStone/S for long-lived Smalltalk business systems in finance and logistics; and seaside web applications (GLASS stack). Choose ODABA for terminology- and ontology-heavy business applications; and rapid development of data-bound desktop GUIs with ODE tools.

Is GemStone/S or ODABA more popular?

GemStone/S ranks #368 on the WhichDB Score (6.1/100) and ODABA ranks #572 (1.2/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are GemStone/S and ODABA open source?

No. GemStone/S is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Commercial; free Community licence. Yes. ODABA is open source. License: GNU GPL v2.