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ObjectDB vs ODABA

ObjectDB: Commercial object database for Java that implements JPA and JDO natively, with no ORM layer. ODABA: RUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge.

key differences

  • Licensing: ObjectDB is proprietary (ObjectDB Licence (free edition with limits; commercial)); ODABA is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2).
  • Only ObjectDB has joins.

choose objectdb for

  • +Java desktop applications with complex object models
  • +JPA-based apps that want to avoid Hibernate tuning
  • +Embedded storage in Java tools

best at · Embedded, OLTP

choose odaba for

  • +Terminology- and ontology-heavy business applications
  • +Rapid development of data-bound desktop GUIs with ODE tools

best at · OLTP, Metadata

ObjectDBCommercial object database for Java that implements JPA and JDO natively, with no ORM layer.
ODABARUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge.
overview
Primary model
Object
Object
Also supports
–
–
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
ObjectDB Software
RUN Software-Werkstatt GmbH
First release
2003
1994
Latest version
2.9.5 (Mar 2, 2026)
17.3.1 (Mar 14, 2026)
License
ProprietaryObjectDB Licence (free edition with limits; commercial)
Open source (copyleft)GNU GPL v2
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
9.3
1.2
Rank
#315
#572
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
105
–
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
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, Client server
Embedded, Client server
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
JPQL, JDOQL
OQL, OSI (ODABA Script Interface)
Client languages
Java
C++, C#
Best for
Embedded, OLTP
OLTP, Metadata
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

ObjectDB vs ODABA: FAQ

What is the difference between ObjectDB and ODABA?

ObjectDB: Commercial object database for Java that implements JPA and JDO natively, with no ORM layer. ODABA: RUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge. Licensing: ObjectDB is proprietary (ObjectDB Licence (free edition with limits; commercial)); ODABA is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2). Only ObjectDB has joins.

When should I choose ObjectDB over ODABA?

Choose ObjectDB for java desktop applications with complex object models, JPA-based apps that want to avoid Hibernate tuning and embedded storage in Java tools. Choose ODABA for terminology- and ontology-heavy business applications; and rapid development of data-bound desktop GUIs with ODE tools.

Is ObjectDB or ODABA more popular?

ObjectDB ranks #315 on the WhichDB Score (9.3/100) and ODABA ranks #572 (1.2/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are ObjectDB and ODABA open source?

No. ObjectDB is proprietary, closed-source software. License: ObjectDB Licence (free edition with limits; commercial). Yes. ODABA is open source. License: GNU GPL v2.