whichdb
vs

IndexedDB vs PGlite

IndexedDB: The browser's built-in transactional object store, and the storage layer under most web local-first libraries. PGlite: Real PostgreSQL compiled to WebAssembly: an embeddable Postgres for browsers, Node, Bun and Deno.

key differences

  • IndexedDB is primarily a key-value database; PGlite is relational.
  • Only PGlite has joins, full-text search, vector search, geospatial, json.

choose indexeddb for

  • +Offline caches for progressive web apps
  • +Storage backend for local-first JavaScript libraries
  • +Persisting large client-side datasets and files

best at · Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline

choose pglite for

  • +Local-first web apps with Electric sync
  • +In-browser SQL playgrounds and tutorials
  • +Ephemeral Postgres for unit tests in Node/Bun
  • +Client-side vector search with pgvector

best at · Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline

IndexedDBThe browser's built-in transactional object store, and the storage layer under most web local-first libraries.
PGliteReal PostgreSQL compiled to WebAssembly: an embeddable Postgres for browsers, Node, Bun and Deno.
overview
Primary model
Key-Value
Relational
Also supports
Document
Document, Vector, Spatial
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
W3C Web Applications Working Group (implemented by browser vendors)
ElectricSQL
First release
2011
2024
Latest version
–
0.5.12 (Oct 26, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)W3C Royalty-Free standard (browser implementations vary)
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0 / PostgreSQL License
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
31.3
35.1
Rank
#78
#57
GitHub stars
264
16.2K
Stack Overflow questions
2.4K
–
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
Strict
Architecture
Embedded
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
IndexedDB API (key ranges and cursors)
SQL, PL/pgSQL
Client languages
JavaScript
JavaScript, TypeScript
Best for
Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline, Cache
Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline, Edge
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

IndexedDB vs PGlite: FAQ

What is the difference between IndexedDB and PGlite?

IndexedDB: The browser's built-in transactional object store, and the storage layer under most web local-first libraries. PGlite: Real PostgreSQL compiled to WebAssembly: an embeddable Postgres for browsers, Node, Bun and Deno. IndexedDB is primarily a key-value database; PGlite is relational. Only PGlite has joins, full-text search, vector search, geospatial, json.

When should I choose IndexedDB over PGlite?

Choose IndexedDB for offline caches for progressive web apps; storage backend for local-first JavaScript libraries; and persisting large client-side datasets and files. Choose PGlite for local-first web apps with Electric sync; in-browser SQL playgrounds and tutorials; and ephemeral Postgres for unit tests in Node/Bun.

Is IndexedDB or PGlite more popular?

PGlite ranks #57 on the WhichDB Score (35.1/100) and IndexedDB ranks #78 (31.3/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are IndexedDB and PGlite open source?

Yes. IndexedDB is open source. License: W3C Royalty-Free standard (browser implementations vary). Yes. PGlite is open source. License: Apache License 2.0 / PostgreSQL License.