*rqlite* is an easy-to-use, lightweight, distributed relational database, which uses [SQLite](https://www.sqlite.org/) as its storage engine.
*rqlite* combines SQLite's simplicity with the power of a robust, fault-tolerant distributed database. It's designed for easy deployment and efficient operation, offering a developer-friendly and operation-centric solution across Linux, macOS, Windows, and on various CPU platforms.
rqlite is simple to deploy, operating and accessing it is very straightforward, and its clustering capabilities provide you with fault-tolerance and high-availability. [rqlite is available for Linux, macOS, and Microsoft Windows](https://github.com/rqlite/rqlite/releases), and can be built for many target CPUs, including x86, AMD, MIPS, RISC, PowerPC, and ARM.
_Check out the [rqlite FAQ](https://rqlite.io/docs/faq)_.
## Why run rqlite?
rqlite gives you the functionality of a [rock solid](https://www.sqlite.org/testing.html), fault-tolerant, replicated relational database, but with very **easy installation, deployment, and operation**. With it you've got a **lightweight** and **reliable distributed relational data store**.
You could use rqlite as part of a larger system, as a central store for some critical relational data, without having to run larger, more complex distributed databases.
rqlite is your solution for a rock-solid, fault-tolerant, replicated relational database with **effortless installation, deployment, and operation**. It's ideal as a lightweight, distributed relational data store for both developers and operators.
And if you're interested in understanding how distributed systems actually work, **rqlite is a good example to study**. Much thought has gone into its [design](https://rqlite.io/docs/design/) and implementation, with clear separation between the various components, including storage, distributed consensus, and API.
Use rqlite for critical relational data in larger systems. And if you're interested in understanding how distributed systems actually work, it's a good example to study. A lot of thought has gone into its design, separating storage, consensus, and API clearly.
### Key features
- Trivially easy to deploy, with no need to separately install SQLite.
- Super-simple to use, with a straightforward [HTTP API](https://rqlite.io/docs/api/). A [command-line interface is also available](https://rqlite.io/docs/cli/), as are various [client libraries](https://github.com/rqlite).
- Fully replicated production-grade SQL database, with full access to SQLite [full-text search](https://www.sqlite.org/fts3.html) and [JSON document support](https://www.sqlite.org/json1.html).
- Multiple options for [node-discovery and automatic clustering, including integration with Kubernetes, Consul, etcd and DNS](https://rqlite.io/docs/clustering/automatic-clustering/), allowing clusters to be dynamically created.
- [Extensive security and encryption support](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/security/), including support for node-to-node encryption and mutual TLS.
- Choice of [read consistency levels](https://rqlite.io/docs/api/read-consistency/), and support for choosing [write performance over durability](https://rqlite.io/docs/api/queued-writes/).
- Optional [read-only (non-voting) nodes](https://rqlite.io/docs/clustering/read-only-nodes/), which can add read scalability to the system.
- A form of transaction support.
- Hot [backups](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/backup/), including [automatic backups to AWS S3](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/backup/#automatic-backups), as well as [restore directly from SQLite](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/restore/) and AWS S3.
- **Easy Deployment**: No separate SQLite installation.
- **Developer-Friendly**: Straightforward [HTTP API](https://rqlite.io/docs/api/), [CLI](https://rqlite.io/docs/cli/), and [client libraries](https://github.com/rqlite).
- **Fully Replicated**: SQL database with [full-text search](https://www.sqlite.org/fts3.html) and [JSON support](https://www.sqlite.org/json1.html).
- **Dynamic Clustering**: Integrates with Kubernetes, Consul, etcd, and DNS for [automatic clustering](https://rqlite.io/docs/clustering/automatic-clustering/).
- **Robust Security**: [Extensive encryption and TLS support](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/security/).
- **Flexible Consistency**: Customize [read/write performance](https://rqlite.io/docs/api/read-consistency/) and [durability](https://rqlite.io/docs/api/queued-writes/).
- **Scalable Reads**: [Read-only nodes](https://rqlite.io/docs/clustering/read-only-nodes/) for enhanced scalability.
- **Transactions**: Supports a form of transactions.
- **Easy Backups**: Hot [backups](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/backup/), including [automatic backups to AWS S3](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/backup/#automatic-backups), as well as [restore directly from SQLite](https://rqlite.io/docs/guides/restore/).
## Quick Start
Check out the [_Quick Start_ guide](https://rqlite.io/docs/quick-start/).
Get up and running quickly with our [_Quick Start_ guide](https://rqlite.io/docs/quick-start/).
## Pronunciation?
How do I pronounce rqlite? For what it's worth I try to pronounce it "ree-qwell-lite". But it seems most people, including me, often pronounce it "R Q lite".
## Pronunciation
Common pronunciations of rqlite include "R Q lite" and "ree-qwell-lite".
Philip O'Toole
9 months ago
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