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SleekDB vs SQLite

SleekDB: Dependency-free PHP library that stores schemaless documents as plain JSON files on disk. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.

key differences

  • SleekDB is primarily a document database; SQLite is relational.
  • Transactions: SleekDB offers none ACID; SQLite offers full.
  • Only SQLite has transactions, secondary indexes, triggers, in-memory, runs in webassembly.

choose sleekdb for

  • +Small PHP websites on shared hosting
  • +Prototypes and admin tools without a database server
  • +Storing configuration or content as JSON documents

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

SleekDBDependency-free PHP library that stores schemaless documents as plain JSON files on disk.
SQLiteThe in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
overview
Primary model
Document
Relational
Also supports
–
Document
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
SleekDB contributors (RakibTG)
D. Richard Hipp / Hwaci (SQLite Consortium)
First release
2018
2000
Latest version
2.50 (Nov 16, 2025)
3.54.1 (Oct 16, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)MIT License
Open source (permissive)Public Domain
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
2.7
75.5
Rank
#467
#5
GitHub stars
1K
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
Schemaless
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 query builder
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

SleekDB vs SQLite: FAQ

What is the difference between SleekDB and SQLite?

SleekDB: Dependency-free PHP library that stores schemaless documents as plain JSON files on disk. SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. SleekDB is primarily a document database; SQLite is relational. Transactions: SleekDB offers none ACID; SQLite offers full. Only SQLite has transactions, secondary indexes, triggers, in-memory, runs in webassembly.

When should I choose SleekDB over SQLite?

Choose SleekDB for small PHP websites on shared hosting; prototypes and admin tools without a database server; and storing configuration or content as JSON documents. Choose SQLite for mobile and desktop application storage; embedded devices and IoT; and local-first apps and offline caches.

Is SleekDB or SQLite more popular?

SQLite ranks #5 on the WhichDB Score (75.5/100) and SleekDB ranks #467 (2.7/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are SleekDB and SQLite open source?

Yes. SleekDB is open source. License: MIT License. Yes. SQLite is open source. License: Public Domain.