# SQLite (/docs/adapters/sqlite)

Integrate Better Auth with SQLite.



SQLite is a lightweight, serverless, self-contained SQL database engine that is widely used for local data storage in applications.
Read more [here.](https://www.sqlite.org/)

## Example Usage [#example-usage]

Better Auth supports multiple SQLite drivers. Choose the one that best fits your environment:

### Better-SQLite3 (Recommended) [#better-sqlite3-recommended]

The most popular and stable SQLite driver for Node.js:

```ts title="auth.ts"
import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";
import Database from "better-sqlite3";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: new Database("database.sqlite"),
});
```

<Callout>
  For more information, read Kysely's documentation to the
  [SqliteDialect](https://kysely-org.github.io/kysely-apidoc/classes/SqliteDialect.html).
</Callout>

### Node.js Built-in SQLite (Release Candidate) [#nodejs-built-in-sqlite-release-candidate]

<Callout type="info">
  The `node:sqlite` module is a **Release Candidate** as of Node.js 24.15.0. It requires Node.js 22.5.0 or later and no longer requires the `--experimental-sqlite` flag since Node.js 22.13.0 / 23.4.0.
</Callout>

Starting from Node.js 22.5.0, you can use the built-in [SQLite](https://nodejs.org/api/sqlite.html) module:

```ts title="auth.ts"
import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";
import { DatabaseSync } from "node:sqlite";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: new DatabaseSync("database.sqlite"),
});
```

To run your application with Node.js SQLite:

```bash
node your-app.js
```

### Bun Built-in SQLite [#bun-built-in-sqlite]

<Callout type="warning">
  Use `bunx` with the `--bun` flag to run cli commands to prevent seeing type errors related to recognizing the `bun:sqlite` module, eg: `bunx --bun auth@latest generate`
</Callout>

You can also use the built-in [SQLite](https://bun.com/docs/api/sqlite) module in Bun, which is similar to the Node.js version:

```ts title="auth.ts"
import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";
import { Database } from "bun:sqlite";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: new Database("database.sqlite"),
});
```

## Schema generation & migration [#schema-generation--migration]

The [Better Auth CLI](/docs/concepts/cli) allows you to generate or migrate
your database schema based on your Better Auth configuration and plugins.

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr className="border-b">
      <th>
        <p className="font-bold text-[16px] mb-1">
          SQLite Schema Generation
        </p>
      </th>

      <th>
        <p className="font-bold text-[16px] mb-1">
          SQLite Schema Migration
        </p>
      </th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr className="h-10">
      <td>
        ✅ Supported
      </td>

      <td>
        ✅ Supported
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<Tabs items="[&#x22;migrate&#x22;, &#x22;generate&#x22;]">
  <Tab value="migrate">
    <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="npm" groupId="persist-install">
      <CodeBlockTabsList>
        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="npm">
          npm
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="pnpm">
          pnpm
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="yarn">
          yarn
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="bun">
          bun
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
      </CodeBlockTabsList>

      <CodeBlockTab value="npm">
        ```bash
        npx auth@latest migrate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="pnpm">
        ```bash
        pnpm dlx auth@latest migrate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="yarn">
        ```bash
        yarn dlx auth@latest migrate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="bun">
        ```bash
        bun x auth@latest migrate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>
    </CodeBlockTabs>
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="generate">
    <CodeBlockTabs defaultValue="npm" groupId="persist-install">
      <CodeBlockTabsList>
        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="npm">
          npm
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="pnpm">
          pnpm
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="yarn">
          yarn
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>

        <CodeBlockTabsTrigger value="bun">
          bun
        </CodeBlockTabsTrigger>
      </CodeBlockTabsList>

      <CodeBlockTab value="npm">
        ```bash
        npx auth@latest generate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="pnpm">
        ```bash
        pnpm dlx auth@latest generate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="yarn">
        ```bash
        yarn dlx auth@latest generate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>

      <CodeBlockTab value="bun">
        ```bash
        bun x auth@latest generate
        ```
      </CodeBlockTab>
    </CodeBlockTabs>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Joins [#joins]

Database joins are useful when Better-Auth needs to fetch related data from multiple tables in a single query.
Endpoints like `/get-session`, `/get-full-organization` and many others benefit greatly from this feature,
seeing upwards of 2x to 3x performance improvements depending on database latency.

The Kysely SQLite dialect supports joins out of the box since version `1.4.0`.
To enable this feature, set `advanced.database.joins` to `true` in your auth configuration.

```ts title="auth.ts"
import { betterAuth } from "better-auth";

export const auth = betterAuth({
  advanced: {
    database: {
      joins: true,
    },
  },
});
```

## Additional Information [#additional-information]

SQLite is supported under the hood via the [Kysely](https://kysely.dev/) adapter, any database supported by Kysely would also be supported. (<Link href="/docs/adapters/other-relational-databases">Read more here</Link>)

If you're looking for performance improvements or tips, take a look at our guide to <Link href="/docs/guides/optimizing-for-performance">performance optimizations</Link>.