Anoma vs rqlite
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Reference implementation of the Anoma protocol, written in Elixir, for running a node.
Open source · MIT
A small SQLite-based SQL database that runs on several machines and keeps working if one fails.
The short answer
Choose Anoma if you need…
- Developers who want to read or contribute to a reference implementation of the Anoma protocol
- Engineers studying distributed systems or peer-to-peer node software written in Elixir
- People following the Anoma project's development through its public roadmap and research forums
Choose rqlite if you need…
- Developers who want a replicated SQL database without running a large database server
- Teams deploying small-to-medium services in the cloud that need high availability
- Edge or distributed applications where a lightweight single-binary database is useful
- Developers who want SQL and JSON support with an HTTP interface
Side-by-side
| Anoma | rqlite | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 33.6k | 17.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Advanced | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Run with Docker |
| Main language | Elixir | Go |
| Last code update | 5 months ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Anoma
Anoma is a reference implementation of the Anoma protocol, whose specifications are published separately. The README describes it as software for running an Anoma node, which can be started from a pre-built release or compiled from source. The README does not explain in plain terms what the protocol does for end users, so refer to the linked specification for that.
rqlite
rqlite is a relational database built on SQLite that can run as a cluster of nodes. Data is replicated across the nodes, so the database stays available if one node goes down. You talk to it over a simple HTTP API using ordinary SQL statements.
Best for
Anoma
- Developers who want to read or contribute to a reference implementation of the Anoma protocol
- Engineers studying distributed systems or peer-to-peer node software written in Elixir
- People following the Anoma project's development through its public roadmap and research forums
rqlite
- Developers who want a replicated SQL database without running a large database server
- Teams deploying small-to-medium services in the cloud that need high availability
- Edge or distributed applications where a lightweight single-binary database is useful
- Developers who want SQL and JSON support with an HTTP interface
Strengths
Anoma
- Open source under the MIT license, with the source code and specification publicly available
- Has a published protocol specification and contributor documentation
- Clear public channels for following development, including project boards and a research forum
rqlite
- Built on SQLite, so standard SQL is available and the single binary has no external dependencies
- Replication means an outage of one node does not take the cluster down, per the README
- Simple HTTP API with a built-in console, CLI, and client libraries
Not ideal for
Anoma
- Non-developers looking for a finished end-user app: the README says user docs are 'Coming Soon'
- Teams needing a stable production system: the project ships bi-weekly releases and the README lists known build issues
- People unwilling to install Elixir, Rust and Protobuf tooling if they choose to build from source
rqlite
- Workloads that need very high write throughput, since the README does not make performance claims and writes go through cluster consensus
- Anyone needing a full-featured database server with features the README does not list; check the docs for limits
- Teams that only need a single local database file with no network access, where plain SQLite is simpler
Trade-offs
Anoma
- User and developer documentation is marked 'Coming Soon' in the README, so setup relies on contributor docs
- Build can fail on some systems; the README documents workarounds for enacl and cairo dependencies
- Requires a specific protoc-gen-elixir version (0.11.0) and a specific Rust toolchain (1.76.0) for some setups
rqlite
- The README is truncated and does not give detailed performance or scale numbers
- Distributed consensus adds operational concepts to learn, such as cluster membership and read consistency settings
- Some tuning choices (read consistency, queued writes) require understanding the trade-offs in the docs
Getting started
Anoma
Install the Elixir protobuf plugin
mix escript.install hex protobuf 0.11.0Fetch dependencies
mix deps.getrqlite
Run a rqlite node with Docker
docker run -p 4001:4001 rqlite/rqliteFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Anoma and rqlite?
Anoma: Reference implementation of the Anoma protocol, written in Elixir, for running a node. rqlite: A small SQLite-based SQL database that runs on several machines and keeps working if one fails. Anoma suits developers who want to read or contribute to a reference implementation of the anoma protocol, while rqlite suits developers who want a replicated sql database without running a large database server.
Are Anoma and rqlite free?
Anoma: Free and open source. rqlite: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Anoma or rqlite?
rqlite is easier to get started with (rated intermediate); Anoma is rated advanced and usually needs more setup.
Is Anoma or rqlite more popular?
Anoma has more GitHub stars (33.6k) than rqlite (17.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Anoma and rqlite?
Other options people compare them with include Bitcoin Core, Ciphey.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.