Which one is better in between SQLite and Shared Preferences?


Introduction

There are many storage service providers in android applications which we can use to store data within our android application. We can store data in our android application in different ways such as by using SQLite database, Room Database, Shared Preferences and many more. Each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages. Room database and Sqlite database are similar which are used to store the data in the form of tables whereas shared preference is used to store the data in the form of key and value pairs. In this article we will be mostly focusing on SQLite database and Shared Preferences which are being used in mobile applications.

What is SQLite database in Android?

SQLite is an open-source, lightweight, and self-contained relational database management system. It does not require any configuration and is extremely easy to set up and use. It is ideal for storing data that needs to be structured and accessed frequently. SQLite is great for apps that require complex data queries and data manipulation. It also allows developers to write their own custom queries. SQLite database is basically used to store the data of the android application in the form of tables. In this database the data is stored in the form of columns and column header is used to access the data from the specific column.

What is Sharedpreferences in Android?

Shared Preferences, on the other hand, is a simple key-value storage system. It is mainly used for storing small pieces of data, like user preferences, settings, and flags. It is not designed to handle complex data structures and queries. It is also not ideal for large amounts of data as it can become slow and inefficient. Shared Preference is used to store the data in the form of key and value pair and the data which is stored can be easily accessed within our android application with the help of the key which we have used to store the data. This type of storage is generally used to store small amounts of data such as a string, boolean or an integer value.

What is the difference between Shared Preference and SQLite database?

The main difference between Shared Preference and SQLite database is that Shared Preference is only able to store a small amount of data whereas SQLite can store huge amounts of data in the form of tables.

As Shared Preference stores the data in the form of key and value pair so the data stored in Shared Preference is easy to access whereas for accessing the data from SQLite database we have to write some queries.

SQLite can store complex and huge amounts of data at a time. It is a relational database whereas Shared Preference stores a very small amount of data.

SQLite provides more power to store the complex data within an android application but it is a little bit difficult to configure it while building an android application. Comparatively shared preference is easy to configure as we are storing the data in the form of key and value pair and the data stored with the shared preference is easy to access.

If you are looking for the appropriate database to be used within your application you should check with the use cases which you want to consider for your application. If you are looking to store huge amounts of data then you can choose to use SQLite database where as if you are looking to store very small amounts of data such as a string then you can use Shared Preference to store the data.

Sharedpreferences

SQLite Database

Shared Preference is designed to store primitive data like strings, numbers, Booleans, etc. in key-value pairs.

SQLite Allows for easy retrieval of data associated with specific user interactions.

It stores small amounts of primitive data as key-value pairs in an XML file on the device file system.

It can store large amounts of structured data.

It does not support such features as triggers and transactions due to its limited purpose and size.

It supports features like triggers, indexes, foreign key constraints, cursors and transactions.

It is stored in a private partition accessible only by the application that created it thus ensuring security.

It is open and accessible to anyone with access to the database server or machine it is hosted on regardless of their platform or device type.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, SQLite and Shared Preferences both have their own strengths and weaknesses. When deciding which one to use for your Android app, it is important to consider the type and amount of data to be stored. If the data is large and complex, then SQLite is the best option. If the data is small and simple, then Shared Preferences should be used.

Updated on: 30-Mar-2023

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