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Comment:Still more edits to the application file format text.
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SHA1: 6ef87717459516b0ffc48b08b30a94d450bf5963
User & Date: drh 2013-05-03 17:51:44.208
Context
2013-05-03
17:55
Typo correction and enhancement to the change log. (check-in: a9cecdf9e8 user: drh tags: trunk)
17:51
Still more edits to the application file format text. (check-in: 6ef8771745 user: drh tags: trunk)
17:42
Updates to the application-file-format text. (check-in: 9811172daa user: drh tags: trunk)
Changes
Unified Diff Ignore Whitespace Patch
Changes to pages/whentouse.in.
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<ul>

<tcl>hd_fragment appfileformat {application file-format}</tcl>
<li><p><b>Application File Format</b></p>

<p>
SQLite has been used with great success as the on-disk file format
for desktop applications such as financial analysis tools, CAD

packages, record keeping programs, and so forth.  The traditional
File/Open operation calls sqlite3_open() to attach to the database
file.  Updates to the file happen atomically as the file is edited,
so the File/Save menu option become superfluous.  The File/Save_As
menu option can be implemented using the [backup API].
</p>

<p>
There are many advantages to using SQLite as an application file format,
including:
</p>

<ol type="1">
<li> There is no file parsing and generating code to write and debug.
<li> Content can be accessed and updated using powerful SQL queries,
     greatly reducing the complexity of the application code.
<li> Extending the file format for new capabilities in later releases
     is a simple as adding new tables or new columns to existing tables.


<li> The content can be viewed using third-party tools.
<li> The application file is portable across all operating systems,
     32-bit and 64-bit and big- and little-endian architectures.
<li> The application only has to load as much data as it needs, rather
     than reading the entire application file and holding a complete parse
     in memory.  Startup time and memory consumption are reduced.
<li> Small content edits only overwrite the parts of the file that change,
     not the entire file, thus improving performance
     and reducing wear on SSD drives.
<li> Content is updated continously and atomically so 
     that there is no work lost in the event of a power failure or crash.
<li> Applications can leverage the
     [full-text search] and [RTREE] capablities that are build into SQLite.
<li> Performance problems can often be resolved using [CREATE INDEX]








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<ul>

<tcl>hd_fragment appfileformat {application file-format}</tcl>
<li><p><b>Application File Format</b></p>

<p>
SQLite has been used with great success as the on-disk file format
for desktop applications such as version control systems,
financial analysis tools, media cataloging and editing suites, CAD
packages, record keeping programs, and so forth.  The traditional
File/Open operation calls sqlite3_open() to attach to the database
file.  Updates to the file happen atomically as the file is edited,
so the File/Save menu option become superfluous.  The File/Save_As
menu option can be implemented using the [backup API].
</p>

<p>
There are many advantages to using SQLite as an application file format,
including:
</p>

<ol type="1">
<li> There is no file parsing and generating code to write and debug.
<li> Content can be accessed and updated using powerful SQL queries,
     greatly reducing the complexity of the application code.
<li> Extending the file format for new capabilities in later releases
     is a simple as adding new tables or new columns to existing tables.
<li> Diverse content which might otherwise be stored as a "pile-of-files"
     can be encapsulated into a single easily managed disk file.
<li> The content can be viewed using third-party tools.
<li> The application file is portable across all operating systems,
     32-bit and 64-bit and big- and little-endian architectures.
<li> The application only has to load as much data as it needs, rather
     than reading the entire application file and holding a complete parse
     in memory.  Startup time and memory consumption are reduced.
<li> Small edits only overwrite the parts of the file that change,
     not the entire file, thus improving performance
     and reducing wear on SSD drives.
<li> Content is updated continously and atomically so 
     that there is no work lost in the event of a power failure or crash.
<li> Applications can leverage the
     [full-text search] and [RTREE] capablities that are build into SQLite.
<li> Performance problems can often be resolved using [CREATE INDEX]
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