Comparison: Aurora PostgreSQL vs SQLite

Modified date: Monday, June 30, 2025

Table of Contents

Introduction
General
Data Types
SQL
Storage and System
Benchmarking
Tools
Export Regulations
Internal
Internal - Optimizer
Internal - Runtime
Internal - Storage Engine

General

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
intro	Aurora is a relational database management system (RDBMS) built for the cloud with full MySQL and PostgreSQL compatibility.	SQLite is a C-language library that implements a small, fast, self-contained, high-reliability, full-featured, SQL database engine.	in their own words - but I reserved the rights to remove some bold claims like "the best", unless it is widely recognized.
vendor	Amazon AWS	SQLite Team
initial release		2000
latested version		3.5	We don't put a release date here as the software is patching frequently. So tracking it is not much useful.
supported platforms		Android, *BSD, iOS, Linux, Mac, Solaris, VxWorks, and Windows	supported OS/CPU platforms
db-engines ranking		10	ranks from https://db-engines.com/en/ranking (06/25)
relational?		yes	Is it a relational database? (1) Most database are actually with some extensions, for example, nested data types, graph support, etc, which we usually called "multi-model". (2) Some of them are product family, meaning they have more than one database. Here we focus on the main one but explain others when needed.
open source?		yes	mainly the engine code
license		no license is needed The core SQLite database software is in the public domain. No license is necessary to use SQLite or to build SQLite into your products.
price: box software		0 free download
on-premise offering		yes	if no means you can't buy "box" software from them
cloud offering		None It is mainly in embedded usage.
technical doc		https://www.sqlite.org/docs.html

Data Types

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
int: signess	signed only		if differentiate signed and unsigned int
int: 1-bytes int name	n.a.	int SQLite accepts names like TINYINT, SMALLINT, BIGINT, but only as type names. They’re purely aliases — they have no effect on storage size or strict typing, they will all converted to INTEGER type. Since the actual storage size is value-by-value basis, so the INT type you specified does not have any effect: it will pick up 0,1,2,3,4,6,8 bytes for your value.
int: 2-bytes int name	smallint	int
int: 3-bytes int name	n.a.
int: 4-bytes int name	int	int
int: 8-bytes int name	bigint	int
decimal: storage size	variable
decimal: range	up to 131072 digits before the decimal point; up to 16383 digits after the decimal point		also called number, numeric in different systems
char(n): max bytes	10,485,760
text: max bytes	1G

SQL

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
base	PostgreSQL
SQL: standard complaince	high	medium
max SQL length	undefined same as PostgreSQL with "StringInfo" container		maximal SQL statement length
PL: main	SQL + PL/PgSQL		main programming lanage: most database suports SQL because SQL is a well established standard. However, each database would like to extend SQL more or less.
PL: other language support	yes		PL lanaguage other than PL/SQL, like PL/Java, PL/Rust etc
SP: max parameters	100
UDF: max parameters	100
SQL: max parameters	65535		number of parameters in a PREPARED query
SQL: query hints	GUC only		if it allows use query hints to guide the optimizer
SQL: explicit locking	yes: row, page, table level		Locking is usually an internal matter - so does it allow explicit locking? What levels do they support?
Triggers?	yes		If support triggers
Triggers: scope	tables, views, foreign tables		What objects can have triggers
Triggers: type	BEFORE, AFTER, INSTEAD OF		Types of triggers supported
Object-Relational?	yes
Extension Mechanism	C programming, link with engine
vector search	no native		does it support vector search

Storage and System

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
arch: server		Embedded	Embedded or traditional C/S?
arch: run in browser?		yes	It also known as a client-side database, is a database that is stored and managed within a user's web browser, rather than on a remote server.
ACID: durability		yes
Materialized View: support?		no

Benchmarking

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
any official TPC benchmarks?		no	The TPC benchmark includes a set of tests simulating real-world scenarios to evaluate database performance.

Tools

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
command line client		sqlite3	it means "sql client" for database supporting SQL. For embedded atabase, the client includes the server together.

Export Regulations

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
Jurisdiction		US	Which country controls export
ECCN		None or EAR99	An Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) is a five-character alphanumeric code used to categorize items on the Commerce Control List (CCL) for export control purposes. Most database may fall into 5D992.c category, "mass market encryption", which means it has some ordinary encryption related code, for example, the SSL connection code.
Eligible License Exception / CCATS		Not required There is no ECCN for open source software	A License Exception is an authorization that allows you to export or reexport items subject to the EAR without needing to obtain a specific export license, provided certain conditions are met. CCATS stands for Commodity Classification Automated Tracking System. The BIS assigns a CCATS number to products that it has classified under the Commerce Control List (CCL).
Encryption Components		SQLite Encryption Extension (SEE), SSL	Crypto functionality that triggers control

Internal

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition

Internal - Optimizer

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition

Internal - Runtime

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition

Internal - Storage Engine

Feature	Aurora PostgreSQL	SQLite	Definition
ACID: durability mechanism		WAL	How is it implements durability. Database's classic way is write ahead logging (WAL).