Features Overview
HeliosDB-Lite provides advanced database features typically found in enterprise systems, all in a lightweight embedded package.
Core Features
Database Branching
Create isolated database branches for development, testing, or experimentation without duplicating data. Similar to Git branches for your database.
Time-Travel Queries
Query data as it existed at any point in time using AS OF TIMESTAMP syntax. Perfect for auditing, debugging, and historical analysis.
Materialized Views
Create pre-computed views with automatic or incremental refresh. CPU-aware scheduling prevents system overload.
Vector Search
Built-in HNSW vector indexing for similarity search, RAG applications, and AI/ML workloads. Supports product quantization for memory efficiency.
Security Features
Row-Level Security (RLS)
Fine-grained access control at the row level. Essential for multi-tenant applications.
Encryption at Rest
AES-256-GCM transparent data encryption with secure key management.
Multi-Tenancy
Built-in tenant isolation with quotas, plans, and CDC support.
Performance Features
Self-Maintaining Filter Index (SMFI)
Automatic bloom filters and zone maps for storage-level filtering. Speculatively creates indexes based on query patterns.
Per-Column Storage & Compression
FSST (string) and ALP (numeric) compression with per-column configuration for optimal storage efficiency.
SQL Features
Triggers
PostgreSQL-compatible triggers for automating database operations in response to INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE events.
Procedural Language (PL)
SQL and PL/pgSQL stored procedures and functions; PL/SQL, T-SQL and DB2 SQL PL are planned.
Primary Keys
Unique row identification with automatic indexing and NOT NULL constraints.
Foreign Keys
Referential integrity constraints with CASCADE, SET NULL, and DEFERRED enforcement modes.
High Availability
HA Tier 1-3
Multi-tier high availability with warm standby (Tier 1), multi-primary replication (Tier 2), and sharding (Tier 3).
Feature Comparison
| Feature | HeliosDB-Lite | SQLite | PostgreSQL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded Mode | Yes | Yes | No |
| Server Mode | Yes | No | Yes |
| Database Branching | Yes | No | No |
| Time-Travel | Yes | No | No |
| Vector Search | Yes | No | Extension |
| Row-Level Security | Yes | No | Yes |
| Materialized Views | Yes | No | Yes |
| Triggers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Procedural Language | Yes | No | Yes |
| Primary Keys | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign Keys | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Per-Column Compression | Yes | No | No |
| HA (WAL streaming) | Yes | No | Extension |
| Write forwarding from standbys | Yes | No | No |