Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GDBM VS SQLite

Compare GDBM VS SQLite 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...

SQLite logo SQLite

SQLite Home Page
  • GDBM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-05-19
  • SQLite Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

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.

SQLite features and specs

  • Zero Configuration
    SQLite does not require any server setup or configuration, allowing for easy integration and deployment in applications.
  • Lightweight
    It is extremely lightweight, with a small footprint, making it ideal for embedded systems and mobile applications.
  • Self-Contained
    SQLite is self-contained, meaning it has minimal external dependencies, which simplifies its distribution and usage.
  • File-Based Storage
    Data is stored in a single file, which makes it easy to manage and transfer databases as simple files.
  • ACID Compliance
    SQLite supports Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (ACID) properties, ensuring reliable transactions.
  • Cross-Platform
    SQLite is available on numerous platforms, including Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, providing a broad compatibility range.
  • Public Domain
    SQLite operates under the public domain, allowing for unrestricted use in commercial and non-commercial applications.

Possible disadvantages of SQLite

  • Limited Scalability
    SQLite is not designed to handle high levels of concurrency and large-scale databases, making it less suitable for large, high-traffic applications.
  • Write Performance
    Write operations can be slower compared to server-based databases, especially under heavy write loads.
  • Lack of Certain Features
    SQLite lacks some advanced features offered by other RDBMS like stored procedures, user-defined functions, and full-text search indexing.
  • Security
    As SQLite is file-based, it might lack some of the security features present in server-based databases, such as sophisticated access control.
  • Concurrency
    SQLite uses a locking mechanism to control access to the database, which can lead to contention and performance bottlenecks in highly concurrent environments.
  • Backup and Restore
    While it's straightforward to copy SQLite database files, it lacks the advanced backup and restore features found in more complex RDBMS.

GDBM videos

C Programming in Linux Tutorial #073 - GDBM Embedded Database

More videos:

  • Review - GDBM Pantsdown BodyJam 69

SQLite videos

SQLite | What, Why , Where

More videos:

  • Review - W20 PROG1442 3.3 UWP sqLite Review
  • Tutorial - How To Create SQLite Databases From Scratch For Beginners - Full Tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GDBM and SQLite)
Databases
6 6%
94% 94
NoSQL Databases
10 10%
90% 90
Relational Databases
3 3%
97% 97
Key-Value Database
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SQLite seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 18 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.

GDBM mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of GDBM yet. Tracking of GDBM recommendations started around Mar 2021.

SQLite mentions (18)

  • Can I have my Lightroom catalogue pointing at two sources...?
    Yes. A Lightroom catalog file is, after all, just a SQLite database. (Srsly, make a copy of your catalog file, rename it whatever.sqlite and use your favorite SQLite GUI to rip it open and look at the tables and fields). It's just storing the pathame to the RAW file for that file's record in the database. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Building a database to search Excel files
    I use visidata with a playback script I recorded to open the sheet to a specific Excel tab, add a column, save the sheet as a csv file. Then I have a sqlite script that takes the csv file and puts it in a database, partitioned by monthYear. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Saw this on my friends Snapchat story, this hurts my heart
    Use the most-used database in the world: https://sqlite.org/index.html. Source: over 2 years ago
  • "Managing" a SQLite Database with J (Part 2)
    With this in mind, I wrote a few versions of this post, but I hated them all. Then I realized that jodliterate PDF documents mostly do what I want. So, instead of rewriting MirrorXref.pdf, I will make a few comments about jodliterate group documents in general. If you're interested in using SQLite with J, download the self-contained GitHub files MirrorXref.ijs and MirrorXref.pdf and have a look. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • "Managing" a SQLite Database with J (Part 1)
    SQLite, by many estimates, is the most widely deployed SQL database system on Earth. It's everywhere. It's in your phone, your laptop, your cameras, your car, your cloud, and your breakfast cereal. SQLite's global triumph is a gratifying testament to the virtues of technical excellence and the philosophy of "less is more.". - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

Kyoto Cabinet - Kyoto Cabinet: a straightforward implementation of DBM

PostgreSQL - PostgreSQL is a powerful, open source object-relational database system.

Berkeley DB - Berkeley DB (BDB) is a software library that provides a high-performance embedded database for...

MySQL - The world's most popular open source database

Tokyo Cabinet - Tokyo Cabinet: a modern implementation of DBM

Microsoft SQL - Microsoft SQL is a best in class relational database management software that facilitates the database server to provide you a primary function to store and retrieve data.