Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GDBM VS Berkeley DB

Compare GDBM VS Berkeley DB and see what are their differences

GDBM logo GDBM

GNU dbm (or GDBM, for short) is a library of database functions that use extensible hashing and...

Berkeley DB logo Berkeley DB

Berkeley DB (BDB) is a software library that provides a high-performance embedded database for...
  • GDBM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-05-19
  • Berkeley DB Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-26

GDBM features and specs

  • Simple API
    GDBM provides a simple and intuitive API for database operations, making it easy for developers to integrate and use in different applications.
  • Lightweight
    As a lightweight library, GDBM requires minimal system resources, making it suitable for projects where memory and processing power are constrained.
  • Fast Access
    GDBM offers fast data retrieval and storage due to its key-value store design, which can be advantageous for applications needing quick database interactions.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, GDBM allows developers to modify, distribute, and use the code freely, fostering collaboration and customization.

Possible disadvantages of GDBM

  • Limited Scalability
    GDBM is not designed for large-scale applications, which can hinder performance and data handling capabilities as database size grows.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    Compared to more comprehensive database systems, GDBM lacks advanced features like transactions, data indexing, and complex querying.
  • Single Process Access
    GDBM is designed primarily for single process access, making concurrent access by multiple processes challenging and requiring additional mechanisms for consistency.
  • File-based Storage
    Being file-based, GDBM can become limited by file system constraints, such as file size limitations and file lock issues.

Berkeley DB features and specs

  • Embedded Database
    Berkeley DB operates as an embedded database, meaning it runs within the application process, which enhances performance by eliminating inter-process communication delays.
  • Efficient Data Storage
    It provides highly efficient data storage, capable of managing large volumes of data with minimal overhead, making it suitable for resource-constrained environments.
  • High-performance
    The database is optimized for high performance with quick read and write operations which can be beneficial for applications requiring real-time data processing.
  • Multi-language Support
    Berkeley DB supports multiple programming languages, including C, C++, Java, Perl, and Python, enhancing its flexibility and usability in various development environments.
  • ACID Transactions
    It offers full ACID transaction support which ensures data integrity and reliability even in the occurrence of system failures.
  • Various Access Methods
    The database allows various data access methods including B-trees, hash tables, fixed or variable-length records, facilitating diverse use cases.

Possible disadvantages of Berkeley DB

  • Complexity
    Berkeley DB can be complex to configure and manage compared to more simplified database solutions, which might require a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Limited to No SQL
    It lacks native SQL support, which limits its use for applications that require complex querying capabilities inherent to SQL-based databases.
  • Standalone Features
    As an embedded database, it does not offer standalone database server features or client/server architecture, which may not align with all system architectures.
  • Limited Scalability
    Though efficient for embedded use, scaling Berkeley DB for large distributed systems can be challenging compared to databases designed for distributed architecture.
  • Oracle Licensing
    As a product owned by Oracle, users may face licensing challenges or restrictions, especially if integrating into larger Oracle-dependent ecosystems.

GDBM videos

C Programming in Linux Tutorial #073 - GDBM Embedded Database

More videos:

  • Review - GDBM Pantsdown BodyJam 69

Berkeley DB videos

Introduction to persistency and Berkeley DB

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GDBM and Berkeley DB)
Databases
57 57%
43% 43
NoSQL Databases
57 57%
43% 43
Key-Value Database
54 54%
46% 46
Relational Databases
59 59%
41% 41

User comments

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GDBM and Berkeley DB, you can also consider the following products

Kyoto Cabinet - Kyoto Cabinet: a straightforward implementation of DBM

Tokyo Cabinet - Tokyo Cabinet: a modern implementation of DBM

SQLite - SQLite Home Page

Redis - Redis is an open source in-memory data structure project implementing a distributed, in-memory key-value database with optional durability.

upscaledb - upscaledb - a blazingly fast embedded key-value store with analytical functions

memcached - High-performance, distributed memory object caching system