SQLite uses an unusual type system for an SQL-compatible DBMS: instead of assigning a type to a column as in most SQL database systems, types are assigned to individual values in language terms it is dynamically typed. Its support of ALTER TABLE statements is limited. For example, it only partially provides triggers and cannot write to views (however, it provides INSTEAD OF triggers that provide this functionality).

SQLite implements most of the SQL-92 standard for SQL, but lacks some features. One major deviation is that, with the exception of primary keys, SQLite does not enforce type checking the type of a value is dynamic and not strictly constrained by the schema (although the schema will trigger a conversion when storing, if such a conversion is potentially reversible). 'What would PostgreSQL do' is used to make sense of the SQL standard. SQLite uses PostgreSQL as a reference platform. Since SQLite has to rely on file-system locks, it is not the preferred choice for write-intensive deployments. This concurrent access restriction does not apply to temporary tables, and it is relaxed in version 3.7 as write-ahead logging (WAL) enables concurrent reads and writes. SQLite read operations can be multitasked, though due to the serverless design, writes can only be performed sequentially. Write access may fail with an error code, or it can be retried until a configurable timeout expires. It implements this simple design by locking the database file during writing. SQLite stores the whole database (definitions, tables, indices, and the data itself) as a single cross-platform file on a host machine, allowing several processes or threads to access the same database concurrently.

Databases in client–server systems use file-system permissions that give access to the database files only to the daemon process, which handles its locks internally, allowing concurrent writes from several processes. Access control is handled by means of file-system permissions given to the database file itself. SQLite is called zero-conf because it does not require service management (such as startup scripts) or access control based on GRANT and passwords. Instead, a linker integrates the SQLite library - statically or dynamically - into an application program which uses SQLite's functionality through simple function calls, reducing latency in database operations for simple queries with little concurrency, SQLite performance profits from avoiding the overhead of inter-process communication.ĭue to the serverless design, SQLite applications require less configuration than client–server databases. Unlike client–server database management systems, the SQLite engine has no standalone processes with which the application program communicates. SQLite was designed to allow the program to be operated without installing a database management system or requiring a database administrator. SQLite is one of four formats recommended for long-term storage of datasets approved for use by the Library of Congress. In 2018, SQLite adopted a Code of Conduct based on the Rule of Saint Benedict which caused some controversy and was later renamed as a Code of Ethics. In 2011, Hipp announced his plans to add a NoSQL interface to SQLite, as well as announcing UnQL, a functional superset of SQL designed for document-oriented databases. In June 2004, SQLite 3.0 added internationalization, manifest typing, and other major improvements, partially funded by America Online. In September 2001, SQLite 2.0 replaced gdbm with a custom B-tree implementation, adding transaction capability. In August 2000, version 1.0 of SQLite was released, with storage based on gdbm (GNU Database Manager). Hipp was designing software used for a damage-control system aboard guided-missile destroyers, which originally used HP-UX with an IBM Informix database back-end. Richard Hipp designed SQLite in the spring of 2000 while working for General Dynamics on contract with the United States Navy. This means that one can, for example, insert a string into a column defined as an integer.ĭ. It generally follows PostgreSQL syntax, but does not enforce type checking by default. Many programming languages have bindings to the SQLite library. It is the most widely deployed database engine, as it is used by several of the top web browsers, operating systems, mobile phones, and other embedded systems. As such, it belongs to the family of embedded databases. It is not a standalone app rather, it is a library that software developers embed in their apps. SQLite ( / ˌ ɛ s ˌ k juː ˌ ɛ l ˈ aɪ t/, / ˈ s iː k w ə ˌ l aɪ t/ ) is a database engine written in the C programming language.

Setup sqlite database