SQLite is a in-process library that implements a self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration, transactional SQL database engine. The code for SQLite is in the public domain and is thus free for use for any purpose, commercial or private. SQLite is currently found in more applications than we can count, including several high-profile projects. SQLite is an embedded SQL database engine. Unlike most other SQL databases, SQLite does not have a separate server process. SQLite reads and writes directly to ordinary disk files. A complete SQL database with multiple tables, indices, triggers, and views, is contained in a single disk file. The database file format is cross-platform - you can freely copy a database between 32-bit and 64-bit systems or between big-endian and little-endian architectures. These features make SQLite a popular choice as an Application File Format. Think of SQLite not as a replacement for Oracle but as a replacement for fopen. This is a really great thing for developers as SQLite has been a proven embedded database for numerous platforms and many, many customers. The team prides themselves on testing and has millions of test cases that are validated each release. As a Windows and perhaps more specifically. NET developer, you may not have had to build any lib from Open Source before of this type i. UPDATE: I created a. Building SQLite from source If you are looking for the sqlite3. You will have to build the source yourself. I highly recommend you get the code from the source rather than from any third party site. Microsoft has worked with the team at SQLite to ensure compatibility and store certification. NET developers who have never grabbed native code source from an Open Source project and had to build it before, the maze of knowing what you should do can be confusing. NET developer and put it on my SkyDrive:. The OneNote I have has the details you need for the tools that will be required. If you used an x86 command prompt then that is what you have. Be aware of this as noted later in this post. NET developer, but as a native code developer you will likely be more interested in the others as well. After this step, you now have a Windows Store compliant version of SQLite to include in your applications. Let me diverge a bit and explain a few things. If you are a managed code or JavaScript developer, at this point, all you have is the Engine, the database runtime. You have no Client to access it. And that is okay. I call out this distinction because this step provides you with the database engine you need to create a database and have it be store-compliant. So if you are a JavaScript or. NET developer, what are you to do? That said, the SQLite build process does product the amalgamation sqlite3. If you choose to go the binary file route sqlite3. Marking as content is simply ensuring that after you add the file to your project, ensure the file properties note that it is content. NET apps this is making the Build Action property Content. In JavaScript applications ensure the Package Action is marked Content. Declaring the native code dependency means you simply add a reference to the Microsoft C++ Runtime Library via the Add Reference mechanisms in. NET and JavaScript applications. By doing this and again, this is a requirement of including SQLite in your app you now cannot be architecture-neutral. This means no more AnyCPU for. Not to worry though as Visual Studio makes this incredibly easy. Now this all should be easier right? I personally think so. No fiddling on your part. This method also makes it easier for C++ developers as well as a props file would automatically be merged to include the. This method uses the mechanism that was introduced in Visual Studio 11. NOTE: Again note that as a managed. Native code developers may scoff at this approach, but I could get started in 2 steps: Add Reference, include. No tweaking of my project files at all because the Extension SDK mechanism in VS does all this for me behind the scenes. C++ app developers: I think most C++ developers will get the header file sqlite3. The Mono team uses this one as well. So you just need to get the SQLite. Using this library allows you to write code like this: 1: public sealed partial class BlankPage : Page 2: { 3: public BlankPage 4: { 5: this. CreateTable ; 11: 12: db. NOTE: In the snippet above you do want to make sure you are creating your database in a path that is accessible from the AppContainer. Some may ask about System. Sqlite and this cannot be used because of the dependency of ADO. NET which is not a part of the. NET Framework Core profile. Now this leads us to JavaScript developers. Currently, there is not easy way for you to access this. The Developer and Platform Evangelism team are working on some samples that are not quite complete yet. SQLite has a great history of working with the community and have a desire to continue this. In the meantime, there are options for you to get started. Also note, that since these are WinRT libraries they could also be used from C++ and. NET in Metro style apps. At this point though it is my personal opinion that existing. NET offer more value i. LINQ than how these WinRT ones exist. Summary This was a great announcement that the SQLite team made for Metro style app developers. WinRT provides some existing local storage mechanisms which you should explore as well, however none that have structured storage with a query processor on top of it. Hope this helps and stay tuned for the release preview of Windows 8!
