There are great competition in that division with engines like Postgresql and mysql, DB2, Oracle and so on. They also need much more from the user and I would be really disappointed if we lost sqlite from the small footprint, easy administrated and reliable engine as it is today into something that takes a big team to maintain and develop.
I was looking for exactly what sqlite is when I found it. I am already administrating postgres databases and are happy with it and think yet another wannabee competitor in the Oracle/DB2 division is one too much.
The implementation of sqlite into PHP is a great success and in my opinion sqlite should stay to the small and efficient databases area. Improvements yes, but growing the code base from 25 k of lines to 250 k of lines, I hope not.
The demand for sqlite is as big as it is for mysql/postgres but there is nowhere around where it is anything as good as sqlite.
My priorities for SQLite are (in order):
1. Reliability and correctness 2. Simplicity 3. Speed 4. Features
Notice that features are at the bottom of the list and that simplicity and correctness are more important that either features or speed.
I have no intention of ever trying to compete with mysql/postgres/oracle. SQLite is intended to be an embedded database, not an enterprise database.
Different problems require different solutions. There are some situations where an embedded database like SQLite is preferable and other situations where an enterprise database is best. SQLite is not the best choice for every data storage need.
I think that some additional documentation helping people to better understand the tradeoffs between an embedded and an enterprise database would be very helpful. I do periodic Google searches for newsgroup traffic that mentions SQLite and from what I have seen, it is clear that many people think that SQLite *is* a direct competitor to mysql/postgresql/oracle. Many people do not understand the difference between an embedded database engine and an enterprise database engine and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
I fear this problem will become even more acute when PHP5 comes out of beta. People will see that SQLite is bundled and wonder "Am I suppose to use SQLite in place of MySQL now?" I think we need a guide for helping people to make that choice. We need to help people better understand when is it appropriate to use SQLite and when MySQL is a better option.
If any readers would care to attempt to write such documentation, or even just start a Wiki page containing ideas of what such a document should look like, your contributions will be greatly appreciated. -- D. Richard Hipp -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- 704.948.4565
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