# Sqlite instead of mysql in Rails 2

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sqlite-instead-of-mysql-in-rails-2/138991>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [May 29, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sqlite-instead-of-mysql-in-rails-2/138991 "2008-05-29T20:06:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jeffpritchard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jeffpritchard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jeffpritchard)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sqlite-instead-of-mysql-in-rails-2/138991/1 "2008-05-29T20:06:57Z")

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I’m trying to figure out if I should just “go with the flow” on this, or  
stick with mysql.

I’m certainly no SQL expert, and don’t know anything about the  
differences. Just the name, having a “lite” in it suggests that it is  
“less powerful”.

Why does Rails 2 use sqllite by default? Is there something “better”  
about it. I guess I’m a member of the “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”  
crowd.

Would like to see opinions from a few SQL savvy folks to see if they are  
just using the default, or sticking with something else they know.

Would sticking with MySQL be at all likely to spawn incompatibilities  
with gems/plugins in the future which might have some sqllite specific  
stuff in them? Is it likely that “most developers” will be using  
sqllite in the future due to this default change?

If sqllite is a better choice for development or small apps, is it still  
a decent choice in production?

thanks,  
jp

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**Author:** ![jeffpritchard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jeffpritchard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jeffpritchard)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sqlite-instead-of-mysql-in-rails-2/138991/2 "2008-05-29T20:20:05Z")

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I think the reason it’s the new default is because nothing has to be  
done to set it up - as long as SQLite3 is installed on the OS, there’s  
nothing else to do to configure it and have it work.

That said, I personally prefer to use the same database as I would use  
in production, just to make sure that everything works (and because  
sometimes some database-specific SQL is required) so I always force  
MySQL when starting a new project. SQLite seems just weird to me.

- Wayne

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jeffpritchard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jeffpritchard](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jeffpritchard)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/sqlite-instead-of-mysql-in-rails-2/138991/3 "2008-05-29T21:57:30Z")

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> > Why does Rails 2 use sqllite by default?

This is as of Rails 2.0.2. Here’s the release notes

> **[Rails 2.0.2: Some new defaults and a few fixes](https://rubyonrails.org/2007/12/17/rails-2-0-2-some-new-defaults-and-a-few-fixes)**
>
> Now that we have the big Rails 2.0 release out the door, it’s a lot easier to push out smaller updates more frequently. So that’s what we’re going to do. Rails 2.0.2 contains a bunch of smaller fixes to various bugs, no show-stopping action, just...

“This change comes as SQLite3 is simply an easier out of the box  
experience than MySQL. There’s no fussing with GRANTs and creates, the  
database is just there. This is especially so under OS X 10.5 Leopard,  
which ships with SQLite3 and the driver gems preinstalled as part of  
the development kit.”