Database Cheat Sheet for 20+ Engines

Here's every database engine the Layerbase CLI supports, what each one does, and when to pick it. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you're choosing an engine for a new project.

Install the Layerbase CLI

Every engine below runs locally with a single command. The Layerbase CLI is the open-source tool formerly called SpinDB, now shipped as the layerbase npm package with the lbase binary. Install it first:

npm i -g layerbase

Then create any engine with lbase create <name> -e <engine> --start. Each section below includes the exact command.

Relational

PostgreSQL

The generalist. Extensions for full-text search, JSON, geospatial, and more. If you're unsure which database to use, start here.

Best for: general-purpose applications, complex queries, any workload that benefits from strong ACID guarantees.

lbase create pg1 -e postgresql --start

What's new in PostgreSQL 18 | Docs

MySQL

The most widely deployed relational database. Massive ecosystem of tools, hosting providers, and community knowledge.

Best for: read-heavy web applications, WordPress/PHP stacks, and projects where ecosystem breadth matters.

lbase create mysql1 -e mysql --start

Getting started with MySQL | Docs

MariaDB

A MySQL fork with extras: sequences, temporal tables, system-versioned rows, and the Aria storage engine. Drop-in compatible with MySQL in most cases.

Best for: MySQL workloads that need temporal queries, sequences, or Oracle-to-open-source migrations.

lbase create maria1 -e mariadb --start

Getting started with MariaDB | Docs

CockroachDB

Distributed PostgreSQL. Spreads data across nodes automatically with strong consistency. Survives node and region failures without manual intervention.

Best for: globally distributed applications that need horizontal scaling with PostgreSQL compatibility.

lbase create crdb1 -e cockroachdb --start

Getting started with CockroachDB | Docs

Document

MongoDB

The most popular document database. Flexible schemas, a rich query API, and aggregation pipelines for complex transformations.

Best for: applications with evolving schemas, nested/hierarchical data, or rapid prototyping where schema flexibility matters.

lbase create mongo1 -e mongodb --start

Getting started with MongoDB | Docs

FerretDB

The MongoDB API running on top of PostgreSQL. Gives you MongoDB's query language with PostgreSQL's storage and reliability. Fully open-source.

Best for: teams that want MongoDB compatibility without the SSPL license, or that want to use existing PostgreSQL infrastructure.

lbase create ferret1 -e ferretdb --start

Getting started with FerretDB | Docs

CouchDB

An HTTP-native document database with built-in multi-master replication. Syncs data between nodes (or between server and client) with automatic conflict resolution.

Best for: offline-first applications, multi-datacenter replication, and scenarios where devices need to sync data reliably.

lbase create couch1 -e couchdb --start

Getting started with CouchDB | Docs

Key-Value / Cache

Redis

An in-memory data structure store with sub-millisecond latency. Supports strings, lists, sets, sorted sets, hashes, streams, and more. Far more than a simple cache.

Best for: caching, session storage, rate limiting, leaderboards, real-time counters, and pub/sub messaging.

lbase create redis1 -e redis --start

Getting started with Redis | Docs

Valkey

An open-source fork of Redis (Linux Foundation) using the same wire protocol. Compatible with Redis clients and commands.

Best for: the same workloads as Redis, for teams that prefer a BSD-licensed alternative.

lbase create valkey1 -e valkey --start

Getting started with Valkey | Docs

Search

Meilisearch

A typo-tolerant, full-text search engine with sub-50ms response times out of the box. Zero configuration needed for relevance.

Best for: user-facing search bars, autocomplete, product search, and any feature where typo tolerance and speed matter.

lbase create meili1 -e meilisearch --start

Getting started with Meilisearch | Docs

Qdrant

A vector database for similarity search. Store embeddings and query by semantic meaning rather than keywords.

Best for: semantic search, recommendation engines, RAG pipelines, image similarity, and anomaly detection.

lbase create qdrant1 -e qdrant --start

Getting started with Qdrant | Docs

Weaviate

A vector database with built-in vectorizer modules. Supports hybrid search (vector + keyword) and integrates with OpenAI, Cohere, and Hugging Face for automatic embedding.

Best for: hybrid search, multimodal search (text + images), and applications that want vectorization handled by the database.

lbase create weav1 -e weaviate --start

Getting started with Weaviate | Docs

Time Series

QuestDB

A time-series database that speaks SQL. The SAMPLE BY clause aggregates time-series data in one line. Columnar storage with high ingestion throughput.

Best for: IoT sensor data, application metrics, financial tick data, and any workload with timestamped append-only data.

lbase create quest1 -e questdb --start

Getting started with QuestDB | Docs

InfluxDB

A time-series database with its own Flux query language and built-in retention policies that automatically expire old data.

Best for: infrastructure monitoring, application metrics, and time-series workloads that need automatic data lifecycle management.

lbase create influx1 -e influxdb --start

Getting started with InfluxDB | Docs

Analytics

ClickHouse

A columnar database built for analytical queries at massive scale. Vectorized execution processes billions of rows per second.

Best for: real-time dashboards, log analytics, event tracking, and any workload that aggregates large datasets.

lbase create click1 -e clickhouse --start

Getting started with ClickHouse | Docs

DuckDB

An embedded analytical database. Think SQLite, but for OLAP. Runs in-process with no server. The Layerbase CLI exposes it through a PostgreSQL-compatible proxy.

Best for: local analytics, data science workflows, CSV/Parquet file querying, and replacing pandas for SQL-native analysis.

lbase create duck1 -e duckdb --start

Getting started with DuckDB | Docs

Embedded

SQLite

A single-file database with zero configuration. No server, no daemon. The most deployed database engine in the world. The Layerbase CLI exposes it through a PostgreSQL-compatible proxy.

Best for: local-first apps, embedded systems, CLI tools, prototyping, and any application where simplicity beats scalability.

lbase create sqlite1 -e sqlite --start

Getting started with SQLite | Docs

LibSQL

A fork of SQLite that adds server mode, replication, and vector search extensions. Backwards-compatible with SQLite files.

Best for: SQLite workloads that need a server mode, multi-client access, edge replication, or built-in vector search.

lbase create libsql1 -e libsql --start

Getting started with LibSQL | Docs

Multi-Model

SurrealDB

A multi-model database combining document, graph, and relational paradigms in one engine. Uses its own query language (SurrealQL) with graph traversals, record links, and schema flexibility.

Best for: applications that need graph traversals alongside document storage without running separate databases.

lbase create surreal1 -e surrealdb --start

Getting started with SurrealDB | Docs

Specialized

TypeDB

A database for knowledge graphs with a type system and built-in inference rules. Define logical rules and TypeDB derives new facts automatically.

Best for: knowledge graphs, drug discovery pipelines, fraud detection, and any domain where you need to reason over relationships.

lbase create typedb1 -e typedb --start

Getting started with TypeDB | Docs

TigerBeetle

A purpose-built financial transaction database. Designed for double-entry bookkeeping with strict consistency guarantees and zero-copy I/O.

Best for: ledgers, payment systems, account balances, and any workload where financial correctness is non-negotiable.

lbase create tiger1 -e tigerbeetle --start

Getting started with TigerBeetle | Docs

Quick Reference Table

Wrapping Up

Every engine above runs locally with lbase create <name> -e <engine> --start and connects with a standard npm package. No Docker, no manual binary downloads.

Need a managed instance instead? Layerbase Cloud provisions any of these engines in seconds. Or grab Layerbase Desktop for a GUI over SpinDB.

lbase list        # see all running instances
lbase url <name>  # get the connection string
lbase stop <name> # stop an instance
lbase start <name> # restart it

Read more at layerbase.com/docs/cli.