SQLite has few functions compared to other database management systems. SQLite authors see this as a feature rather than a problem, because SQLite has an extension mechanism in place.
There are a lot of SQLite extensions out there, but they are incomplete, inconsistent and scattered across the internet. Sqlean brings them together, neatly packaged into domain modules, documented, tested, and built for Linux, Windows and macOS.
We do not try to gather all the existing extensions into one giant pile — that would not be very useful. The goal is to create a well-thought set of domain modules with a convenient API. A kind of standard library for SQLite.
To achieve it, we split extensions that are too broad, merge the ones that are too narrow, refactor, add missing features, test, document, and do a ton of other small things.
Main set • Other extensions • Downloading • Installation • Support
These are the most popular functions. They are tested, documented and organized into the domain modules with clear API.
Think of them as the extended standard library for SQLite:
- crypto: hashing, encoding and decoding data
- define: user-defined functions and dynamic sql
- fileio: read and write files
- fuzzy: fuzzy string matching and phonetics
- ipaddr: IP address manipulation
- math: math functions
- regexp: regular expressions
- stats: math statistics
- text: string functions and Unicode
- time: high-precision date/time
- uuid: Universally Unique IDentifiers
- vsv: CSV files as virtual tables
The single-file sqlean bundle contains all extensions from the main set.
The scope of this project is limited to extensions without external dependencies (other than the C standard library and SQLite itself).
There are a lot of useful extensions that do not quite fit the scope for various reasons — so you won't find them here.
There are precompiled binaries for every OS:
sqlean-win-x64.zip- Windows (Intel/AMD x64 CPU)sqlean-linux-x64.zip- Linux (Intel/AMD x64 CPU)sqlean-linux-arm64.zip- Linux (ARM CPU)sqlean-macos-x64.zip- Intel-based macOSsqlean-macos-arm64.zip- Apple silicon (ARM-based) macOS
Binaries are 64-bit and require a 64-bit SQLite version.
The easiest way to try out Sqlean extensions is to load them in the SQLite command-line interface:
sqlite> .load ./sqlean
sqlite> select median(value) from generate_series(1, 99);
See How to install an extension for usage with IDE, Python, JavaScript, etc.
Download the dependencies:
make prepare-dist
make download-sqlite
make download-external
Then build for your OS (choose one of the following):
make compile-linux
make compile-windows
make compile-macos
You'll find the compiled extensions in the dist folder.
See also: Instructions for building on iOS and Android platforms.
This project only accepts bug fixes.
Copyright 2021-2025 Anton Zhiyanov, Contributors and Third-party Authors.
The software is available under the MIT License.
Sqlean is mostly a one-man project. It's currently in maintenance mode, and no new features are planned.