Git-Friendly Small Database Options | Generated by AI
Exploring MongoDB, Redis, and Other Options for Your Git-Friendly Small DB
You’re right to consider alternatives—MongoDB and Redis can work for small-scale local setups, but like SQLite, they need export strategies for clean git diffs. Saving locally (file-based) is essentially what JSON/CSV does, so we’ll build on that. The “dump to git and sync periodically” approach is a solid workaround for any DB: Use scripts to export data to text (e.g., JSON) on changes, commit that file, and reload on pull. This keeps git happy without full rewrites.
For your 10k-100k records (1-2 tables), prioritize lightweight, local-first options. Server-based DBs like full MongoDB/Redis add setup overhead unless you use embedded/local variants.
Quick Comparison of Options
| Option | Type | Git-Friendliness | Local Setup Ease | Size/Perf for 10k-100k | Key Workflow for Git Sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MongoDB (Local/Embedded) | NoSQL Document DB | Good with exports: Dump to JSON via mongoexport. Diffs show changes clearly. |
Medium: Install MongoDB Community or use Realm (embedded). | Handles well; JSON dumps ~5-20 MB. | Script: Export collection to JSON → sort → commit. Sync: mongorestore from JSON. |
| Redis (Local) | In-Memory Key-Value | Fair: Native dumps (RDB) are binary; use tools like redis-dump for JSON export. | Easy: Single binary install. | Fast for reads; persists to disk. Dumps small if sparse. | Cron/script: redis-dump > data.json → commit. Sync: redis-load from JSON. |
| LowDB | File-Based NoSQL | Excellent: Stores directly as JSON file. Native git diffs. | Very easy: NPM/Python lib, no server. | Ideal for small data; loads fully in memory. | Edit via API → auto-save JSON → git add/commit. No extra dump needed. |
| PouchDB | Offline-First NoSQL | Very good: JSON docs; syncs with CouchDB if needed. Diffs via exports. | Easy: JS lib, works in browser/Node. | Efficient; auto-syncs changes. | Changes auto-persist to IndexedDB/file → export to JSON for git. Periodic bulk sync. |
| Datascript | In-Memory Datalog | Excellent: Serializes to EDN (text) files for diffs. | Easy: Clojure/JS lib. | Query-focused; small footprint. | Query/update → write EDN snapshot → commit. Great for relational-ish data. |
Pros/Cons and Recommendations
-
MongoDB: Great if your data is document-oriented (e.g., nested JSON records). For local use, MongoDB Embedded (via Realm SDK) avoids a full server. Export strategy makes it git-compatible—far better than binary dumps. Downside: Overkill for 1-2 tables; setup takes ~10-15 min. Use if you need aggregation queries. Rec: Yes, if JSON-like structure; otherwise skip for simpler.
-
Redis: Super fast for caching/simple key-value, but less ideal for persistent “tables” without extras. Local install is trivial, and JSON dumps via tools like redis-dump or RIOT keep it text-based for git. For your scale, it’s fine but volatile (in-memory by default). Rec: Only if speed is key and data is key-value; pair with periodic JSON sync script (e.g., Python:
import redis; r.dump_to_json()). -
Other DBs (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL): These are relational like SQLite but require a server—even local ones bloat setup. Dumps to SQL text work for git, but they’re heavier for small data. Rec: Avoid; stick to embedded/file-based.
-
Local File Save (e.g., JSON/CSV): This is your baseline—already git-native. No DB engine needed; handle CRUD in code (e.g., Pandas for tables).
-
Dump to Git + Periodic Sync: Universal fix for any DB. Run a hook/script on update: Dump to sorted JSON/SQL →
git add/commit -m "Data update". For sync, pull git → load dump into DB. Frequency: On every change (via pre-commit hook) or daily (cron). Keeps history clean without binary blobs. Tools: Git hooks or CI like GitHub Actions.
Top Pick: Start with LowDB—it’s basically “JSON as a DB” with adapters for file storage, queries, and easy diffs. No server, tiny (one file), and scales to your size. If you need offline sync or relations, go PouchDB. For Redis/MongoDB, prototype the dump script first to test git flow.
Example LowDB setup (Node.js):
const low = require('lowdb');
const FileSync = require('lowdb/adapters/FileSync');
const adapter = new FileSync('db.json');
const db = low(adapter);
// Init: db.defaults({ users: [] }).write();
// Add: db.get('users').push({ id: 1, name: 'foo' }).write();
// Git will diff the JSON naturally.
If your data has a schema, share it for a custom dump script.
Version Controlling, Git, NoSQL, and MongoDB
redis-dump: Redis to JSON and back
How can I put a database under git
NoSQL alternative of sqlite in Python
Persistent, Git friendly local database