whichdb
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IndexedDB vs RxDB

IndexedDB: The browser's built-in transactional object store, and the storage layer under most web local-first libraries. RxDB: Reactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication.

key differences

  • IndexedDB is primarily a key-value database; RxDB is document.
  • Transactions: IndexedDB offers full ACID; RxDB offers limited.
  • Only IndexedDB has transactions.
  • Only RxDB has json, change data capture, in-memory, compression, encryption at rest.

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 rxdb for

  • +Offline-first progressive web apps
  • +React Native and Capacitor apps with background sync
  • +Electron apps needing local reactive storage
  • +Multi-tab browser apps sharing one database

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

IndexedDBThe browser's built-in transactional object store, and the storage layer under most web local-first libraries.
RxDBReactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication.
overview
Primary model
Key-Value
Document
Also supports
Document
–
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
W3C Web Applications Working Group (implemented by browser vendors)
Daniel Meyer (pubkey)
First release
2011
2016
Latest version
–
17.6.0 (Oct 5, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)W3C Royalty-Free standard (browser implementations vary)
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0 (core); commercial premium plugins
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
31.3
20.2
Rank
#78
#161
GitHub stars
264
23.4K
Stack Overflow questions
2.4K
47
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Limited
Consistency
Strong
Eventual
Schema
Flexible
Strict
Architecture
Embedded
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
IndexedDB API (key ranges and cursors)
Mango query syntax
Client languages
JavaScript
JavaScript, TypeScript
Best for
Embedded, Local-first, Mobile/offline, Cache
Local-first, Mobile/offline, Embedded
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

IndexedDB vs RxDB: FAQ

What is the difference between IndexedDB and RxDB?

IndexedDB: The browser's built-in transactional object store, and the storage layer under most web local-first libraries. RxDB: Reactive local-first NoSQL database for JavaScript with pluggable storage and replication. IndexedDB is primarily a key-value database; RxDB is document. Transactions: IndexedDB offers full ACID; RxDB offers limited. Only IndexedDB has transactions.

When should I choose IndexedDB over RxDB?

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 RxDB for offline-first progressive web apps; react Native and Capacitor apps with background sync; and electron apps needing local reactive storage.

Is IndexedDB or RxDB more popular?

IndexedDB ranks #78 on the WhichDB Score (31.3/100) and RxDB ranks #161 (20.2/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are IndexedDB and RxDB open source?

Yes. IndexedDB is open source. License: W3C Royalty-Free standard (browser implementations vary). Yes. RxDB is open source. License: Apache License 2.0 (core); commercial premium plugins.