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SQLite vs UnQLite

SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. UnQLite: Embedded, transactional key-value and JSON document engine in a single C file, with Jx9 scripting.

key differences

  • SQLite is primarily a relational database; UnQLite is key-value.
  • Only SQLite has joins, secondary indexes, full-text search, triggers, runs in webassembly.
  • Only UnQLite has online schema changes.

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

choose unqlite for

  • +Embedded devices and firmware needing local storage
  • +Desktop or game apps storing JSON state
  • +Local caches inside native services

best at · Embedded, IoT, Coordination

SQLiteThe in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
UnQLiteEmbedded, transactional key-value and JSON document engine in a single C file, with Jx9 scripting.
overview
Primary model
Relational
Key-Value
Also supports
Document
Document
Type
Embedded library
Embedded library
Status
Active
Active
Developer
D. Richard Hipp / Hwaci (SQLite Consortium)
Symisc Systems
First release
2000
2013
Latest version
3.54.1 (Oct 16, 2026)
1.2.1 (May 1, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Public Domain
Open source (permissive)BSD 2-Clause
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
75.5
4.1
Rank
#5
#419
GitHub stars
10.8K
2.3K
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
Full
Full
Consistency
Strong
Strong
Schema
Flexible
Schemaless
Architecture
Embedded, Single node
Embedded, In memory
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
SQL
Jx9, Key-value C API
Client languages
C, Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Rust, C#, Swift
C, C++, Python
Best for
Embedded, Mobile/offline, Edge, Local-first
Embedded, IoT, Coordination, Edge
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

SQLite vs UnQLite: FAQ

What is the difference between SQLite and UnQLite?

SQLite: The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers. UnQLite: Embedded, transactional key-value and JSON document engine in a single C file, with Jx9 scripting. SQLite is primarily a relational database; UnQLite is key-value. Only SQLite has joins, secondary indexes, full-text search, triggers, runs in webassembly. Only UnQLite has online schema changes.

When should I choose SQLite over UnQLite?

Choose SQLite for mobile and desktop application storage; embedded devices and IoT; and local-first apps and offline caches. Choose UnQLite for embedded devices and firmware needing local storage; desktop or game apps storing JSON state; and local caches inside native services.

Is SQLite or UnQLite more popular?

SQLite ranks #5 on the WhichDB Score (75.5/100) and UnQLite ranks #419 (4.1/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are SQLite and UnQLite open source?

Yes. SQLite is open source. License: Public Domain. Yes. UnQLite is open source. License: BSD 2-Clause.