Embedded Database Engine

Want to embed a SQL database engine in your .Net application?
Want a single assembly database engine that can run both 32- and 64-bit?

Stop worrying about embedded database deployment hassles - Xcopy and done!

 

VistaDB is an Embedded SQL Database Engine for .Net

VistaDB is the only .Net embedded database that allows you to Xcopy a single DLL for both 32 and 64 bit runtime support.  Want ClickOnce deployment for your .Net application?  VistaDB requires zero config on the client.  No more worries about COM deployment for the database engine!  Even our database files are built for ease of deployment - a single database file with no external logs or complex permissions.

XCopy and Clickonce deployment to both 32 and 64 bit machines!

About the VistaDB 4 .Net Database Engine

There are a lot of free database engines out there that you could use for your projects.  But none of them provide the same level of functionality and SQL Server compatibility of VistaDB.  Not even SQL CE can match the features built into VistaDB.  We are the only embedded database that supports SQL Server compatible T-SQL and CLR Procs.

.Net Database Basics

If a relational database doesn't have advanced features like updatable SQL Views, true referential integrity, cascading updates / deletes, table value params, T-SQL stored procedures, CLR Triggers, and CLR stored procs then why would you bother?  Database engines that only provide basic ADO.NET features are a waste of your time. VistaDB is the most advanced embedded SQL desktop database engine in the world.  We built VistaDB from the ground up to be a managed database engine, this is not some unmananged C++ database with a .Net wrapper!

Worried about steep learning curves? 

Developers who are already familiar with the SqlClient namespace will feel right at home in VistaDB.   We are also an ADO.NET 2 provider.  All of the familiar syntax from ADO.NET works with VistaDB. 

Support VistaDB and SQL Server from the same executable?

Do you wish you could build a single executable that supported both SQL Server for multi user and another database on the desktop?  We know how hard it is to build applications that support both desktop and client server from a single executable.  VistaDB syntax contains the most commonly used features from SQL Server.  All of our syntax will scale up to SQL Server.  This means you can use one codebase in your product and run it against SQL Server and VistaDB.

VistaDB fully supports the ADO.NET Provider Factory model.  This allows you to dynamically load the database engine at runtime based upon application preferences.  Many companies use VistaDB on the desktop and SQL Server for larger deployments.  It is not the easiest way to write database code, and there is much less documenation around to explain how to do some things in Visual Studio.  But if you take the time using Provider Factories can be a powerful runtime feature for your application.

 

Visit the VistaDB Product Overview page for more information.

Work with Visual Studio 2008, 2010 and 2012?

VistaDB has full Visual Studio integration giving you the familiar tools you need to be productive quickly, including full Server Explorer integration.   Developers who have used other desktop databases in Visual Studio will be able to immediately start working with VistaDB.

Visual Studio 2008 Query Designer
Full integration within Visual Studio Standard or Higher

.Net Database Admin Tools?

Some embedded databases give you an engine and nothing to edit or maintain the actual database.  You usually have to purchase a third party DBA tool, build you own, or tell users to go download the large bulky tool from the vendor. 

If you want to deploy a custom branded database admin tool to your users, building your own is often your only choice.  VistaDB includes a powerful graphical .Net database admin tool for developer usage, and provides an unbranded version with complete C# source code.  The DBA Sample Tool gives you a fully functional tool that you can brand and ship to your users!  Many users tell us how the DBA Tool alone was worth the purchase price in time savings.

.Net Database admin tool screenshot
VistaDB Data Builder Screenshot