Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

EdgeDB VS OrbitDB

Compare EdgeDB VS OrbitDB and see what are their differences

EdgeDB logo EdgeDB

EdgeDB is a next-generation graph-relational database that lets you easily build flexible, scalable applications in real-time.

OrbitDB logo OrbitDB

OrbitDB is a serverless, distributed, peer-to-peer database.
  • EdgeDB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-10
  • OrbitDB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26

EdgeDB features and specs

  • Graph-Relational Model
    EdgeDB combines the features of relational and graph databases, allowing for complex queries and relationships while maintaining data integrity typical in relational databases.
  • Advanced Query Language (EdgeQL)
    EdgeQL offers a more intuitive and expressive query syntax compared to traditional SQL, facilitating easier and more efficient data retrieval.
  • Schema Evolution
    EdgeDB provides robust tools for schema migrations and versioning, making it easier to evolve the database schema without downtime or data loss.
  • Type Safety
    With its strong typing system, EdgeDB reduces runtime errors by ensuring data type consistency across the database operations.
  • Integrated Indexing and Constraints
    EdgeDB supports advanced indexing and constraints, improving query performance and maintaining data integrity natively.

Possible disadvantages of EdgeDB

  • Relative Newness
    Being relatively new in the market, EdgeDB might lack extensive community support and third-party integrations compared to more established databases.
  • Learning Curve
    Technicians accustomed to traditional SQL or other database paradigms might face a learning curve when adapting to EdgeDB's unique features and query language.
  • Limited Ecosystem
    EdgeDB's ecosystem, including tooling, documentation, and community resources, is less mature compared to other well-established database systems.
  • Potential for Rapid Changes
    As a developing technology, EdgeDB may undergo rapid changes and updates, which may lead to instability or additional maintenance overhead.
  • Hosting and Compatibility Concerns
    Deploying EdgeDB might have specific hosting requirements, and compatibility with existing infrastructure could be a concern for some users.

OrbitDB features and specs

  • Decentralization
    OrbitDB is a peer-to-peer database system built on top of IPFS, meaning it does not rely on a central server. This enhances data availability and resilience against censorship.
  • Offline-first Operation
    Since OrbitDB is built on IPFS, it can operate without a constant connection to the internet, allowing data access and changes even when offline.
  • Versioning and Immutability
    It provides built-in support for versioning and immutability of data, ensuring that historical records can be maintained and easily accessed.
  • Eventual Consistency
    OrbitDB uses eventual consistency, which means all nodes will eventually reach the same data state. This is suitable for applications tolerant to eventual consistency rather than immediate data consistency.
  • Community and Open Source
    As an open-source project, OrbitDB benefits from community contributions and transparency, allowing for improved security, auditing, and flexibility in modifications.

Possible disadvantages of OrbitDB

  • Complex Synchronization
    Handling data consistency and synchronization in a decentralized manner can be complex, which may result in increased development and maintenance efforts.
  • Performance Overhead
    Running on a peer-to-peer network can introduce performance overhead due to factors like data propagation delays and potential network instability.
  • Limited Ecosystem Support
    Compared to more established databases, OrbitDB has a more limited ecosystem of tools and integrations, potentially requiring more custom development work.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers may face a steeper learning curve due to the decentralized nature and unique characteristics of OrbitDB and IPFS.
  • Eventual Consistency Trade-offs
    While eventual consistency can be a pro, it also means that applications requiring strict immediate consistency could face challenges when using OrbitDB.

EdgeDB videos

Checking out EdgeDB - The Developer Database (Better than Prisma ORM?!)

More videos:

  • Review - EdgeDB 2.0 Launch
  • Review - The architecture of EdgeDB โ€”ย Fantix King | EdgeDB Day

OrbitDB videos

On Telemetry for InterPlanetary Systems (OrbitDB + IPFS)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to EdgeDB and OrbitDB)
Databases
43 43%
57% 57
NoSQL Databases
47 47%
53% 53
Network & Admin
49 49%
51% 51
Relational Databases
46 46%
54% 54

User comments

Share your experience with using EdgeDB and OrbitDB. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OrbitDB should be more popular than EdgeDB. It has been mentiond 7 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

EdgeDB mentions (4)

  • Beyond SQL: A relational database for modern applications
    A new DB, with a new query language that's like "SQL done right"? This immediately reminded me of EdgeDB: https://edgedb.com/ Is there anyone here who knows enough about these two products to do a compare/contrast? - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Beyond SQL: A relational database for modern applications
    See also https://edgedb.com/ which is another relational database without sql. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • DuckDB 0.8.0
    >relational no-sql Do you mean something like edgeDB?[0] Or do you mean some non-declarative language completely? I don't see the latter making much sense. The issue with SQL for me is the "natural language" which quickly loses all intended readabilty when you have SELECT col1, col2 FROM (SELECT * FROM ... WHERE 1=0 AND ... Which is what edgeDB is trying to solve. [0]https://edgedb.com/. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • GraphQL Is a Trap?
    You have to do your own optimiser to avoid, for instance, the N+1 query problem. (Just Google that, plenty of explanations around.) Many GraphQL frameworks have a โ€œnaiveโ€ subquery implementation that performs N individual subqueries. You either have to override this for each parent/child pairing, or bolt something on the back to delay all the โ€œSELECT * FROM tbl_subquery WHERE id = ?โ€ operations and convert them... - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago

OrbitDB mentions (7)

  • Show HN: TeaTime โ€“ static distributed library powered by SQLite, IPFS and GitHub
    > (I'm looking into using Helia so that users are also contributing nodes in the network) I had to look that term up I was reminded of https://github.com/orbitdb/orbitdb#readme which seems like it may be much less rolling your own parts. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • How to make a crowdsourced distributed metadata database?
    Both use OrbitDB: Peer-to-Peer Databases for the Decentralized Web. JavaScript. MIT license. repo. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Release: New features for Nalli
    I think a wallet-agnostic memo solution is definitely the way. Having wallets that end up (partly) incompatible is only gonna hurt the UX. Maybe a decentralised DB solution like OrbitDB or GunDB can be the best way forward, although I haven't dove deeply into the docs yet. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Building a decentralized database
    Checkout this https://github.com/orbitdb/orbit-db peer-to-peer database for the decentralized Web. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Any suggestions to build a decentralized web app?
    I want to build a decentralized social media web app for a personal project, and I'm thinking on using IPFS. What tool, API, or library can get me set up without writing smart contracts or using blockchain solutions? I've heard that GunDB or OrbitDB are useful libraries- is that true? What are your thoughts and suggestions? Source: almost 5 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing EdgeDB and OrbitDB, you can also consider the following products

Datomic - The fully transactional, cloud-ready, distributed database

MongoDB - MongoDB (from "humongous") is a scalable, high-performance NoSQL database.

MarkLogic Server - MarkLogic Server is a multi-model database that has both NoSQL and trusted enterprise data management capabilities.

Valentina Server - Valentina Server is 3 in 1: Valentina DB Server / SQLite Server / Report Server

Firestore - Easily develop rich applications using a fully managed, scalable, and serverless document database.

Datahike - A durable datalog database adaptable for distribution.