SQLite
The most deployed database engine in the world
Overview
SQLite is an embedded database that runs inside your application process rather than as a separate server. This eliminates network latency, connection management, and deployment complexity. For many applications, the result is faster queries and simpler architecture.
The renaissance of SQLite in web development is driven by platforms like Cloudflare D1, Turso, and LiteFS that bring SQLite's simplicity to distributed environments. Run a SQLite database at the edge, replicate across regions, and serve reads with sub-millisecond latency - architecture that was impossible to achieve affordably with traditional databases.
For development and testing, SQLite is unmatched. Spin up a database in milliseconds, run your test suite against a real SQL database instead of mocks, and throw it away when done. No Docker containers, no cleanup, no port conflicts.
Key Features
Serverless
No separate database process - runs inside your application
Zero Config
No installation, no setup, no administration required
ACID Compliant
Full transaction support with WAL mode for concurrency
Cross-Platform
Single file that works on every operating system
Edge Ready
Deploy at the edge with Turso, D1, or LiteFS
Fastest for Reads
Sub-millisecond reads with no network latency
Why We Recommend SQLite
SQLite at the edge (via Turso or D1) is an emerging pattern that dramatically simplifies database architecture. For read-heavy applications, the combination of edge-deployed SQLite and global replication produces incredible performance.