The Case for SQLite

SQLite is an embedded database that is used for local data storage on Android, iOS, Blackberry and other mobile devices (as well as browsers and lots of other things). Originally created in 2000 by D. Richard Hipp it supports most SQL standards and its source is in the public domain. For many mobile app developers the logical choice of client-side database is SQLite.

Since SQLite comes pre-installed (and most important, free) with today’s mobile devices the challenge developers face is how do they exchange data between this built-in database and an enterprise database server such as Microsoft SQL. Until now there was no good solution for this problem and that is why we created SyncStudio. SyncStudio solves the mobile database synchronization problem by providing a fast and very cost effective toolset that anyone can use to get data from SQL Server into SQLite and back again.

Until SyncStudio developers had been forced to write reams of custom code to move data to and from mobile devices. Or, they had to give up on SQLite and find some third party proprietary client and server database application that already provided sync functionality. Writing custom code is a time consuming, expensive and error prone process that might never end if a mobile app is dynamic and growing. Using a third party database may seem better but it too can be expensive and require learning a new language or admin functions. Not to mention these proprietary databases may not have all the same features that are found in enterprise-level database systems like Microsoft SQL Server, so it might become necessary to re-code significant portions of the application.

With SyncStudio developers no longer need to choose between writing something themselves or using a non-industry standard RDBMS. In Android and iOS we work with SQLite on the client and Microsoft SQL at the server. SyncStudio leverages the strengths of the free database already installed on the device and the enterprise class database server the customer already has. Users can stay on their preferred database environment and developers can build apps based on industry-standard platforms.

More information on SQLIte is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQLite.