For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://silt-db.dev/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://silt-db.dev/llms-full.txt, and this page is available as Markdown at https://silt-db.dev/guide/deployment.md.

    Deployment

    Silt runs inside your JavaScript application. Deploy the application with a persistent SQLite file; there is no separate database service to configure.

    Use it for services that fit SQLite's deployment model: a database on local persistent storage, one writer at a time, and application-managed access. SQLite supports concurrent readers, while transactions coordinate writes.

    Open the production file

    import { MongoClient } from '@silt-db/mongodb';

const client = new MongoClient('/data/app.sqlite', {
  dbName: 'app',
  adapter: 'better-sqlite3',
});
await client.connect();
const db = client.db();

    Install the optional better-sqlite3 peer in your application. Omit adapter to use Node 24's built-in node:sqlite. Client-owned writable Node files use WAL and synchronous=FULL by default. The ordinary client executes SQL on the calling thread.

    For concurrent server requests, use the server configuration recipe. It initializes the same Mongo API with a writer worker and a bounded pool of separate WAL readers, keeping SQL work off the main thread. The guide covers pool sizing, cursor limits, and benchmark tradeoffs.

    Own the database lifecycle

    Keep one long-lived client per application database. Await writes before reporting success, and await client.close() during graceful shutdown. Use Mongo-style sessions when related writes must commit together.

    Mount durable local storage at the database path. WAL requires processes accessing the same file to be on the same host; a shared network filesystem is not a substitute for a database server. See SQLite's WAL requirements.

    Use a SQLite-aware backup method or stop all database users before copying files. Copying only the main file while it has uncheckpointed WAL changes can omit committed data. SQLite documents online backups and WAL file handling. Silt does not yet expose a Mongo-style backup API.

    Check your workload

    Production use is a deployment goal; Silt is currently alpha. Review the compatibility limits and validation evidence, test your application, and measure its queries and write rate before relying on it. SQLite's single-writer model, local file ownership, and resource limits still apply.

    Silt does not provide MongoDB replication, sharding, network authentication, or change streams. Applications needing those services should account for them separately.