Question

I consider use of a SQLite database as big data store (two hundred thousand records per year). I will do a lot of queries, a negligible amount of updates and inserts. I see that SQLite is very fast. Is SQLite is suitable and safe for this purpose ?

Answer 1

SQLite is not generally consider suitable for multiple concurrent users; it is ideal for use as an embedded, single-process store.

This is less true in cases where the clients all have the database opened read-only — no lock contention exists in this case — but even then, you’re missing out on the caching capabilities a non-embedded, out-of-process database can provide.

Also, while it is indeed generally very fast, its query optimizer tends to lag behind that of PostgreSQL or Oracle for highly complex queries.

Finally — in keeping with SQLite’s goal to be an ideal embedded database, it does not have support for enforcing security policy (either authentication or authorization); indeed, GRANT and REVOKE are not even keywords.