Android Room vs SQLite: What are the differences?
Introduction
Here, we will discuss the key differences between Android Room and SQLite.
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Performance: Android Room uses compile-time query verification, which helps in catching syntax errors early, ensuring improved runtime execution. On the other hand, SQLite lacks this feature, and errors are caught only at runtime, potentially leading to performance issues.
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Object Relational Mapping (ORM): Android Room provides built-in support for ORM, allowing developers to map SQLite database objects to Java or Kotlin objects easily. This simplifies the coding and reduces boilerplate code. SQLite, on the other hand, does not offer direct support for ORM, requiring developers to write additional code for object mapping.
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Type Safety: Android Room uses entities and DAO (Data Access Object) to define database tables and access operations, respectively. It ensures type safety at compile-time, reducing the chances of runtime errors. SQLite, being a raw SQL database engine, lacks this type safety, making it more prone to runtime errors.
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LiveData and RxJava integration: Android Room integrates well with LiveData and RxJava, providing built-in support for reactive programming. This allows developers to observe database changes easily and perform related actions. Unlike Android Room, SQLite does not offer built-in support for reactive programming libraries, requiring developers to handle data observation manually.
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Database Migrations: Android Room simplifies the process of database migration with its migration support. It offers a Migration class that allows developers to define database schema changes and handle version management seamlessly. SQLite, being a raw SQL database engine, requires manual handling of database migrations, which can be complex and error-prone.
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Query Complexity: Android Room provides simplified query building capabilities with its query annotations, allowing developers to write complex queries in a more readable and maintainable way. On the other hand, SQLite requires developers to write raw SQL queries, making them more verbose and harder to manage.
In summary, Android Room offers performance improvements, built-in ORM support, type safety, integration with LiveData and RxJava, simplified database migration, and enhanced query building capabilities compared to SQLite.
