Need an overview of non-enterprise databases for .NET

Question

For smaller websites which are view-only or require light online-editing, SQL Server 2008, Oracle, and MySQL are overkill.

In the PHP world, I used SQLite quite a bit which is a e.g. 100K file holding hundreds of records which you speak to with standard SQL.

In the .NET world, what options do we have, I've seen:

• SQL Server 2008 Express (free but the files are bloated 2-10MB with just a couple records)
• SQL Server Compact 3.5 (seems interesting)
• Vista.db (not free?)
• What about SQLite with .NET, have any of you had success with that?
• Any other small, no-nonsense, SQL databases for .NET there?

I would particularly be interested in something like SQLite but that supports CLR type system and LINQ.

Answer 1

I don't think there is any database that supports the CLR type system, even SQL server uses their own types.

Besides the already mentioned alternatives there is also Firebird

Answer 2

Maybe this Wikipedia RDBMS comparison might help you in making your choice.

• SQLite works just fine with .NET.
• I second Edoode's suggestion of Firebird - that works great for me.
• Be very careful when using SQL Server CE in multi-threaded applications.

Answer 3

I had to use Interbase at work, so I came to Firebird. First I had to use it, now I love it.

There's a .NET Data Provider (ADO, DDEX).

U can even use it without setting up a server, like you do with SQLite (direct access to the database file).

It's actively developed and "open source".

Answer 4

You can also have a look at db4o which is not SQL but a fully managed object store for java and .NET.