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Lazer Database vs SQLite

Lazer Database: PHP library that treats JSON files as database tables, with an ORM-style query builder and relations. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.

key differences

  • Lazer Database is primarily a document database; SQLite is relational.
  • Transactions: Lazer Database offers none ACID; SQLite offers full.
  • Only SQLite has transactions, secondary indexes, full-text search, triggers, in-memory.

choose lazer for

  • +Small PHP sites on hosts without a database server
  • +Prototypes and admin tools needing simple structured storage
  • +Config or content stored as diff-able JSON files

best at · Embedded, Content

choose sqlite for

  • +Mobile and desktop application storage
  • +Embedded devices and IoT
  • +Local-first apps and offline caches
  • +Test fixtures and data interchange files

best at · Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge

Lazer DatabasePHP library that treats JSON files as database tables, with an ORM-style query builder and relations.
SQLiteThe in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
overview
Primary model
Document
Relational
Also supports
Relational
Document
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Grzegorz Kuźnik and the Lazer-Database contributors
D. Richard Hipp / Hwaci (SQLite Consortium)
First release
2013
2000
Latest version
2.0.6 (Oct 20, 2026)
3.54.1 (Oct 16, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Open source (permissive)Public Domain
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
1.4
75.5
Rank
#555
#5
GitHub stars
282
10.8K
Stack Overflow questions
–
94.9K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
None
None
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
None
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Flexible
Architecture
Embedded
Embedded, Single node
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
PHP fluent query API
SQL
Client languages
PHP
C, Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C#, Swift
Best for
Embedded, Content
Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge, Local-first
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Lazer Database vs SQLite: FAQ

What is the difference between Lazer Database and SQLite?

Lazer Database: PHP library that treats JSON files as database tables, with an ORM-style query builder and relations. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. Lazer Database is primarily a document database; SQLite is relational. Transactions: Lazer Database offers none ACID; SQLite offers full. Only SQLite has transactions, secondary indexes, full-text search, triggers, in-memory.

When should I choose Lazer Database over SQLite?

Choose Lazer Database for small PHP sites on hosts without a database server; prototypes and admin tools needing simple structured storage; and config or content stored as diff-able JSON files. Choose SQLite for mobile and desktop application storage; embedded devices and IoT; and local-first apps and offline caches.

Is Lazer Database or SQLite more popular?

SQLite ranks #5 on the WhichDB Score (75.5/100) and Lazer Database ranks #555 (1.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Lazer Database and SQLite open source?

Yes. Lazer Database is open source. License: MIT License. Yes. SQLite is open source. License: Public Domain.