MetalBase
discontinuedby Richard P. Jernigan IV · since 1992
Early-1990s freeware relational DBMS in C with curses data entry and a report writer; archive only.
discontinued. Abandoned in the mid-1990s; only an archived source mirror (apavlo/metalbase) remains.
Overview
MetalBase was a small relational database package written in C by Richard P. Jernigan IV and shared over FTP and Usenet in the early 1990s. Version 5.0 (1992) bundled a C library with AVL-tree indexes and file locking, a curses-based data-entry interface, a template-driven report writer, field encryption and a converter for older 4.x relation files, and it built on Unix as well as MS-DOS. Development stopped in the mid-1990s; the only known copy of the source is a 2018 archive mirror created while researching dbdb.io, and its original license terms are unknown. It is a museum piece showing how hobbyist databases were built before MySQL and SQLite.
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
- +Compact, readable C codebase from the pre-SQLite era
- +Shows a complete small RDBMS toolkit: library, data entry UI and report writer
Trade-offs
- −Abandoned for three decades with unclear licensing
- −No SQL, no transactions and only basic locking
Great for
- +Database history and teaching
- +Reading a small AVL-tree index implementation
Think twice for
- −Any production or new project
Capabilities
Native or official first-party support · 3 of 25 tracked
Scale & consistency
- Comfortable data size
- Small · ≤ 100 GB
- Horizontal scaling
- None
- Multi-region
- No
- Transactions
- None
- Consistency
- Strong
- Schema
- Strict
- Architecture
- Embedded
- Query languages
- C API
Deployment
Ecosystem
Alternatives to MetalBase
The in-process SQL engine that ships in every phone, browser and OS: one file, zero servers.
metalbase vs sqlite →The 1990s-era embedded key-value library, now Oracle-owned, AGPL-licensed and rarely updated.
metalbase vs berkeley-db →The original microcomputer database and xBase language, still sold as a Windows IDE built on DBF tables.
metalbase vs dbase →Desktop database and forms builder bundled with Microsoft 365; still everywhere in back offices.
metalbase vs microsoft-access →Lightweight, MVCC relational database from the InterBase lineage, embeddable or client-server.
metalbase vs firebird →Long-running pure-Java SQL database with strong SQL:2023 coverage, used embedded and in LibreOffice.
metalbase vs hsqldb →MetalBase FAQ
What is MetalBase?
MetalBase is a relational database by Richard P. Jernigan IV, first released in 1992. MetalBase was a small relational database package written in C by Richard P. Jernigan IV and shared over FTP and Usenet in the early 1990s. Version 5.0 (1992) bundled a C library with AVL-tree indexes and file locking, a curses-based data-entry interface, a template-driven report writer, field encryption and a converter for older 4.x relation files, and it built on Unix as well as MS-DOS. Development stopped in the mid-1990s; the only known copy of the source is a 2018 archive mirror created while researching dbdb.io, and its original license terms are unknown. It is a museum piece showing how hobbyist databases were built before MySQL and SQLite.
Is MetalBase open source?
No. MetalBase is proprietary, closed-source software. License: Unknown (freeware; original terms not preserved).
Does MetalBase support ACID transactions?
No. MetalBase does not provide ACID transactions; its consistency model is strong.
Does MetalBase scale horizontally?
MetalBase does not scale horizontally; it runs on a single node, so you scale it up rather than out. It is comfortable at small scale (≤ 100 GB).
How can I run MetalBase?
You can self-host it and embed it in your application.
What is MetalBase best for?
MetalBase is a strong fit for database history and teaching; and reading a small AVL-tree index implementation. Think twice for any production or new project.
What are the best alternatives to MetalBase?
Common alternatives to MetalBase include SQLite, Oracle Berkeley DB, dBASE, Microsoft Access and Firebird. The right choice depends on your workload, scale and hosting; WhichDB's smart match ranks them against your requirements.
Is MetalBase still maintained?
MetalBase is discontinued. Abandoned in the mid-1990s; only an archived source mirror (apavlo/metalbase) remains.
How popular is MetalBase?
MetalBase ranks #669 of 844 databases on the WhichDB Score (0.2/100), and #201 among relational databases. The score combines public adoption signals such as package downloads, GitHub activity, job posts and developer discussion.