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<title>Berkeley DB Reference Guide: Do you need Berkeley DB?</title>
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<td><h3><dl><dt>Berkeley DB Reference Guide:<dd>Introduction</dl></h3></td>
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<h1 align=center>Do you need Berkeley DB?</h1>
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<p>Berkeley DB is an ideal database system for applications that need fast,
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scalable, and reliable embedded database management. For applications
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that need different services, however, it can be a poor choice.
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<p>First, do you need the ability to access your data in ways you cannot
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predict in advance? If your users want to be able to enter SQL
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complicated searches that you cannot program into your application to
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begin with, then you should consider a relational engine instead. Berkeley DB
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requires a programmer to write code in order to run a new kind of query.
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<p>On the other hand, if you can predict your data access patterns up front
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Berkeley DB is a good choice. The queries can be coded up once, and will then
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run very quickly because there is no SQL to parse and execute.
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<p>Second, are there political arguments for or against a standalone
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relational server? If you're building an application for your own use
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and have a relational system installed with administrative support
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already, it may be simpler to use that than to build and learn Berkeley DB.
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On the other hand, if you'll be shipping many copies of your application
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to customers, and don't want your customers to have to buy, install,
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and manage a separate database system, then Berkeley DB may be a better
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<p>Third, are there any technical advantages to an embedded database? If
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you're building an application that will run unattended for long periods
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of time, or for end users who are not sophisticated administrators, then
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a separate server process may be too big a burden. It will require
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separate installation and management, and if it creates new ways for
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the application to fail, or new complexities to master in the field,
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then Berkeley DB may be a better choice.
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<p>The fundamental question is, how closely do your requirements match the
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Berkeley DB design? Berkeley DB was conceived and built to provide fast, reliable,
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transaction-protected record storage. The library itself was never
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intended to provide interactive query support, graphical reporting
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tools, or similar services that some other database systems provide. We
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have tried always to err on the side of minimalism and simplicity. By
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keeping the library small and simple, we create fewer opportunities for
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bugs to creep in, and we guarantee that the database system stays fast,
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because there is very little code to execute. If your application needs
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that set of features, then Berkeley DB is almost certainly the best choice
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