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ODABA vs Actian NoSQL (Versant)

ODABA: RUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge. Actian NoSQL (Versant): Enterprise object database formerly known as Versant, sold by Actian for complex object models.

key differences

  • Licensing: ODABA is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2); Actian NoSQL (Versant) is proprietary (Commercial (Actian)).
  • Actian NoSQL (Versant) is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than ODABA (≤ 100 GB).
  • Horizontal scaling is none in ODABA and manual in Actian NoSQL (Versant).
  • Only Actian NoSQL (Versant) has online schema changes.

choose odaba for

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

best at · OLTP, Metadata

choose versant-object-database for

  • +Telecom network inventory and management
  • +Defence and transport systems with deep object models
  • +Maintaining existing Versant installations

best at · OLTP, Embedded

ODABARUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge.
Actian NoSQL (Versant)Enterprise object database formerly known as Versant, sold by Actian for complex object models.
overview
Primary model
Object
Object
Also supports
–
–
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
RUN Software-Werkstatt GmbH
Actian (HCLSoftware)
First release
1994
1990
Latest version
17.3.1 (Mar 14, 2026)
–
License
Open source (copyleft)GNU GPL v2
ProprietaryCommercial (Actian)
Free tier
✓
—
popularity
WhichDB Score
1.2
3.1
Rank
#572
#445
GitHub stars
–
–
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
None
Manual
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Strict
Strict
Architecture
Embedded, Client server
Client server, Distributed, 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
OQL, OSI (ODABA Script Interface)
VQL (Versant Query Language), JPA (NoSQL JPA)
Client languages
C++, C#
C++, Java, C#
Best for
OLTP, Metadata
OLTP, Embedded
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

ODABA vs Actian NoSQL (Versant): FAQ

What is the difference between ODABA and Actian NoSQL (Versant)?

ODABA: RUN Software's terminology-oriented object database for C++ and .NET, still released on SourceForge. Actian NoSQL (Versant): Enterprise object database formerly known as Versant, sold by Actian for complex object models. Licensing: ODABA is open source (copyleft) (GNU GPL v2); Actian NoSQL (Versant) is proprietary (Commercial (Actian)). Actian NoSQL (Versant) is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than ODABA (≤ 100 GB). Horizontal scaling is none in ODABA and manual in Actian NoSQL (Versant).

When should I choose ODABA over Actian NoSQL (Versant)?

Choose ODABA for terminology- and ontology-heavy business applications; and rapid development of data-bound desktop GUIs with ODE tools. Choose Actian NoSQL (Versant) for telecom network inventory and management; defence and transport systems with deep object models; and maintaining existing Versant installations.

Is ODABA or Actian NoSQL (Versant) more popular?

Actian NoSQL (Versant) ranks #445 on the WhichDB Score (3.1/100) and ODABA ranks #572 (1.2/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are ODABA and Actian NoSQL (Versant) open source?

Yes. ODABA is open source. License: GNU GPL v2. No. Actian NoSQL (Versant) is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Commercial (Actian).