better-sqlite3

What is better-sqlite3?

better-sqlite3 is a fast and simple SQLite3 library for Node.js applications. It provides a synchronous API for interacting with SQLite databases, making it easier to write and maintain code. The library is designed to be efficient and easy to use, with a focus on performance and simplicity.

What are better-sqlite3's main functionalities?

Database Connection

This feature allows you to establish a connection to an SQLite database. The `Database` constructor takes the path to the database file as an argument.

const Database = require('better-sqlite3');
const db = new Database('my-database.db');

Executing SQL Statements

This feature allows you to prepare and execute SQL statements. The `prepare` method creates a prepared statement, and the `all` method executes the statement and returns all matching rows.

const stmt = db.prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE age > ?');
const users = stmt.all(18);

Inserting Data

This feature allows you to insert data into the database. The `run` method executes the prepared statement with the provided parameters.

const insert = db.prepare('INSERT INTO users (name, age) VALUES (?, ?)');
const info = insert.run('John Doe', 30);

Transaction Management

This feature allows you to manage transactions. The `transaction` method creates a transaction that can execute multiple statements atomically.

const insert = db.prepare('INSERT INTO users (name, age) VALUES (?, ?)');
const insertMany = db.transaction((users) => {
  for (const user of users) insert.run(user.name, user.age);
});
insertMany([{ name: 'Alice', age: 25 }, { name: 'Bob', age: 35 }]);

Custom Functions

This feature allows you to define custom SQL functions. The `function` method registers a new function that can be used in SQL statements.

db.function('add', (a, b) => a + b);
const result = db.prepare('SELECT add(2, 3)').get();

Other packages similar to better-sqlite3

sqlite3

The `sqlite3` package is another popular SQLite library for Node.js. Unlike better-sqlite3, it provides an asynchronous API, which can be beneficial for non-blocking operations. However, it can be more complex to use due to the asynchronous nature of its API.

node-sqlite3

The `node-sqlite3` package is similar to `sqlite3` and provides an asynchronous API for SQLite. It is widely used and well-documented, but like `sqlite3`, it can be more challenging to work with compared to the synchronous API of better-sqlite3.

sql.js

The `sql.js` package is a JavaScript library that runs SQLite in the browser using Emscripten. It is useful for web applications that need to use SQLite in a client-side environment. However, it is not designed for Node.js server-side applications like better-sqlite3.

README

better-sqlite3

The fastest and simplest library for SQLite3 in Node.js.

• Full transaction support
• Geared for performance and efficiency
• Easy-to-use synchronous API (faster than an asynchronous API... yes, you read that correctly)
• 64-bit integer support (invisible until you need it)

Installation

npm install --save better-sqlite3

Usage

var Database = require('better-sqlite3');
var db = new Database('foobar.db', options);

db.on('open', function () {
	var row = db.prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id=?').get(userId);
	console.log(row.firstName, row.lastName, row.email);
});

Why should I use this instead of node-sqlite3?

• node-sqlite3 uses asynchronous APIs for tasks that don't wait for I/O. That's not only bad design, but it wastes tons of resources.
• node-sqlite3 exposes low-level (C language) memory management functions. better-sqlite3 does it the JavaScript way, allowing the garbage collector to worry about memory management.
• better-sqlite3 is simpler to use, and it provides nice utilities for some operations that are very difficult or impossible in node-sqlite3.
• better-sqlite3 is much faster than node-sqlite3 in most cases, and just as fast in all other cases.

Documentation

• API documentation
• Performance (also see benchmark results)
• 64-bit integer support
• SQLite3 compilation options

License

MIT