SQLite

SQLite interviews test fit for embedded, local-first, edge, test, and small-service storage—not whether it replaces every server database. Single-writer semantics, file portability, and limited concurrency are features and limits.

Subtopics: embedded use cases, local-first apps, limitations.

On interviews: explain when SQLite beats a remote database, how local-first sync conflicts are handled, and why network filesystems or many writers are risky.

Common pitfalls: multi-writer server workloads on SQLite; WAL on NFS without understanding risk; skipping migration strategy for on-device schema.

The trade-off is balancing zero-ops embedded durability against write concurrency and fleet operations at scale.

Checklist:

• Match SQLite to embedded or local-first boundaries.
• Plan migrations and conflict merge for offline writes.
• Respect single-writer and filesystem constraints.
• Know when to graduate to a server database.