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GemStone/S vs Actian NoSQL (Versant)

GemStone/S: Smalltalk object database where application code runs inside the transactional object repository. Actian NoSQL (Versant): Enterprise object database formerly known as Versant, sold by Actian for complex object models.

key differences

  • Horizontal scaling is none in GemStone/S and manual in Actian NoSQL (Versant).
  • Only GemStone/S has stored procedures.
  • Actian NoSQL (Versant) 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 versant-object-database for

  • +Telecom network inventory and management
  • +Defence and transport systems with deep object models
  • +Maintaining existing Versant installations

best at · OLTP, Embedded

GemStone/SSmalltalk object database where application code runs inside the transactional object repository.
Actian NoSQL (Versant)Enterprise object database formerly known as Versant, sold by Actian for complex object models.
overview
Primary model
Object
Object
Also supports
–
–
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
GemTalk Systems
Actian (HCLSoftware)
First release
1986
1990
Latest version
3.7.6 (Aug 2026)
–
License
ProprietaryCommercial; free Community licence
ProprietaryCommercial (Actian)
Free tier
✓
—
popularity
WhichDB Score
6.1
3.1
Rank
#368
#445
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Manual
Multi-region
Read replicas
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Strict
Architecture
Client server, Shared storage
Client server, Distributed, Embedded
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
VQL (Versant Query Language), JPA (NoSQL JPA)
Client languages
Smalltalk, C, Java
C++, Java, C#
Best for
OLTP
OLTP, Embedded
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

GemStone/S vs Actian NoSQL (Versant): FAQ

What is the difference between GemStone/S and Actian NoSQL (Versant)?

GemStone/S: Smalltalk object database where application code runs inside the transactional object repository. Actian NoSQL (Versant): Enterprise object database formerly known as Versant, sold by Actian for complex object models. Horizontal scaling is none in GemStone/S and manual in Actian NoSQL (Versant). Only GemStone/S has stored procedures. Actian NoSQL (Versant) can run embedded in your application process.

When should I choose GemStone/S over Actian NoSQL (Versant)?

Choose GemStone/S for long-lived Smalltalk business systems in finance and logistics; and seaside web applications (GLASS stack). Choose Actian NoSQL (Versant) for telecom network inventory and management; defence and transport systems with deep object models; and maintaining existing Versant installations.

Is GemStone/S or Actian NoSQL (Versant) more popular?

GemStone/S ranks #368 on the WhichDB Score (6.1/100) and Actian NoSQL (Versant) ranks #445 (3.1/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are GemStone/S and Actian NoSQL (Versant) open source?

No. GemStone/S is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Commercial; free Community licence. No. Actian NoSQL (Versant) is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Commercial (Actian).