sqlite3 driver manual: A libdbi driver using the SQLite3 embedded database engine
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# Chapter 1. Introduction

SQLite is a smart library that implements an embeddable SQL database engine. No need for an external database server - an application linked against libsqlite can do it all by itself. Of course there are a few limitations of this approach compared to "real" SQL database servers, mostly for massively parallel high-throughput database applications, but on the other hand, installation and administration are a breeze.

SQLite3 is a redesign of SQLite which is incompatible with the older 2.x versions. As the API functions and the library itself were renamed, SQLite3 also requires a slightly modified libdbi driver. You can have both the sqlite and the sqlite3 driver installed on your system, but you have to make sure that you access your databases with the driver that matches the database version. The easiest way to accomplish this is to use different database directories for each version.

Your application should support the sqlite3 driver if one of the following applies:

- You want to support potential users of your application who don't have the skills to administer a database server.

- You want to offer the simplest possible installation of your application.

- You want to let users test-drive your application without the need to fiddle with their production database servers.

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