whichdb
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GUN vs OrbitDB

GUN: Decentralised, offline-first graph database that syncs peer-to-peer in JavaScript. OrbitDB: Serverless peer-to-peer database on IPFS and libp2p using Merkle-CRDT logs.

key differences

  • GUN is primarily a graph database; OrbitDB is document.
  • Only GUN has encryption at rest.
  • Only OrbitDB has json, role-based access.

choose gun for

  • +Decentralised chat and social experiments
  • +Hackathon and prototype realtime apps
  • +Offline-capable apps without a central server

best at · Local-first, Pub/Sub

choose orbitdb for

  • +Decentralised and web3 applications
  • +Offline-capable collaborative apps without a backend
  • +Tamper-evident shared logs between parties

best at · Local-first, Event sourcing

GUNDecentralised, offline-first graph database that syncs peer-to-peer in JavaScript.
OrbitDBServerless peer-to-peer database on IPFS and libp2p using Merkle-CRDT logs.
overview
Primary model
Graph
Document
Also supports
Key-Value
Key-Value, Event Store
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Mark Nadal and contributors
OrbitDB community
First release
2014
2016
Latest version
0.2020.1241 (Jul 1, 2025)
4.0.0 (May 14, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Zlib, MIT or Apache-2.0 (choice)
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
26.6
9.7
Rank
#111
#306
GitHub stars
19.2K
8.8K
Stack Overflow questions
146
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
Manual
Manual
Multi-region
Active active
Active active
ACID
None
None
Consistency
Eventual
Eventual
Schema
Schemaless
Schemaless
Architecture
Distributed, Multi primary, Embedded
Distributed, Multi primary, 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
GUN chain API
JavaScript API
Client languages
JavaScript
JavaScript
Best for
Local-first, Pub/Sub
Local-first, Event sourcing
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

GUN vs OrbitDB: FAQ

What is the difference between GUN and OrbitDB?

GUN: Decentralised, offline-first graph database that syncs peer-to-peer in JavaScript. OrbitDB: Serverless peer-to-peer database on IPFS and libp2p using Merkle-CRDT logs. GUN is primarily a graph database; OrbitDB is document. Only GUN has encryption at rest. Only OrbitDB has json, role-based access.

When should I choose GUN over OrbitDB?

Choose GUN for decentralised chat and social experiments; hackathon and prototype realtime apps; and offline-capable apps without a central server. Choose OrbitDB for decentralised and web3 applications; offline-capable collaborative apps without a backend; and tamper-evident shared logs between parties.

Is GUN or OrbitDB more popular?

GUN ranks #111 on the WhichDB Score (26.6/100) and OrbitDB ranks #306 (9.7/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are GUN and OrbitDB open source?

Yes. GUN is open source. License: Zlib, MIT or Apache-2.0 (choice). Yes. OrbitDB is open source. License: MIT License.