Difference Between Realm and SQLite

Key Difference – Realm vs SQLite
 

Modern applications require fast and efficient performance and one common light-weight database management system that serves this purpose is SQLite. Even though SQLite is widely used, it has some limitations. SQLite queries can be slow, and it might be harder to manage a huge set of data. It is also harder to do code migrations when the number of data increases. The Realm is an alternative to SQLite. The key difference between Realm and SQLite is that Realm is an easy-to-use open source object-centric database management system which is used as a replacement for SQLite while SQLite is a relational database management system which is widely used.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Realm
3. What is SQLite
4. Similarities Between Realm and SQLite
5. Side by Side Comparison – Realm vs SQLite in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is Realm?

The realm is a database for mobile application development. It is a replacement for SQLite. It is written in C++. Realm supports data types such as Boolean, short, int, long, float, double, String, Date and byte. It also uses annotations. Some of them are @Ignore,@Index,@PrimaryKey.

The realm is fast in performance and uses objects for storing data. Realm data models are similar to Java Classes, and those classes are subclasses of RealmObject. The main advantage of Realm over SQLite is that it is faster and efficient than SQLite. It is easy to use and cross-platform.

What is SQLite?

SQLite is a relational database management system. Data is stored in the form of a table. A table consists of rows and columns. A row is a record. A column is a field. The tables are related to each other. Columns can be joined if necessary. SQLite use queries and the query results are mapped to objects. If the programmer needs to modify the database such as adding columns, schema migrations have to be done. It also supports many third-party libraries. It is portable. It may be hard to manage a complex database because it is necessary to write Structured Query Language.

SQLite is lightweight so it can be used for embedded systems, IOT(Internet of Things) devices rather than using database management systems such as MySQL. SQLite is more suitable for applications which does not have much traffic. It can be used for the websites, but if the website is getting a large number of requests, SQLite won’t be a good choice. It is also not very suitable for implementing concurrent operations. Mainly, SQLite is useful for embedded software and android application development.

What are the Similarities Between Realm and SQLite?

• Both database management systems are mainly used for mobile application development.
• Both are cross-platform. (Mac, IOS, Android)

What is the Difference Between Realm and SQLite?

Realm vs SQLite
The realm is easy to use open source, object-centric database management system which is used as a replacement for SQLite.	SQLite is an embedded relation database management system which supports relational database features.
Speed
The realm is faster than SQLite.	SQLite is slower than Realm.
SQL
Realm does not use SQL.	SQLite uses SQL for data storing, retrieving and manipulating.
Ease of Integration and Use
The realm is easier to integrate and use than SQLite.	SQLite is difficult to use than Realm.
Documentation
Realm does not have much tutorials and documentation comparing to SQLite. The realm is still under active development.	SQLite has more tutorials and documentation.

Summary – Realm vs SQLite

Realm database is a good choice to develop fast and easy to use solutions for mobile applications. The difference between Realm and SQLite is that Realm is an easy to use open source, object-centric database management system which is used as a replacement for SQLite and SQLite is a relational database management system. Realm and SQLite can be used according to the project requirements and ease of use.

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Reference:

1.“System Properties Comparison Realm vs. SQLite.” Realm vs. SQLite Comparison. Available here
2.Gupta, Lipika. “How Realm is Better As Compared To SQLite?” Humble Bits. Available here  
3.The point, Tutorials. “SQLite Overview.”, Tutorials Point, 15 Aug. 2017. Available here 
4.Shrivastava, Swati. “Android: Realm vs SQLite.” Code Kaksha. Available here  

Image Courtesy:

1.’SQLite370’By D. Richard Hipp (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia