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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://openworkflow.dev/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

The SQLite backend is the easiest way to get started without running an external database. It’s ideal for local development, testing, and single-server deployments. When you’re ready for production with multiple workers, switch to PostgreSQL. Uses bun:sqlite for Bun and node:sqlite for Node.js (requires Node.js 22.5+).

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Setup

import { OpenWorkflow } from "openworkflow";
import { BackendSqlite } from "openworkflow/sqlite";

const backend = BackendSqlite.connect("./openworkflow/backend.db");
const ow = new OpenWorkflow({ backend });
Note: BackendSqlite.connect() is synchronous (no await needed).

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File Path

The database file is created if it doesn’t exist: 
// Relative path (recommended for projects)
const backend = BackendSqlite.connect("./openworkflow/backend.db");

// Absolute path
const backend = BackendSqlite.connect("/var/lib/openworkflow/data.db");

// In-memory database (data lost on restart)
const backend = BackendSqlite.connect(":memory:");

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Configuration Options

const backend = BackendSqlite.connect(path, {
  // Namespace for multi-tenant isolation (default: "default")
  namespaceId: "development",

  // Whether to run migrations on connect (default: true)
  runMigrations: true,
});

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Git Ignore

Add the database file and SQLite sidecar files to .gitignore: 
openworkflow/backend.db*
The CLI’s init command does this automatically when you choose SQLite.

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When to Use SQLite

Good for:
  • Local development
  • Testing and CI
  • Single-server deployments
  • Prototyping
  • Small-scale production with low throughput
Consider PostgreSQL for:
  • Multi-server deployments
  • High concurrency requirements
  • Production workloads with many workers
  • Environments requiring database-level backups

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Concurrency

SQLite supports concurrent reads but uses locking for writes. The backend handles this with BEGIN IMMEDIATE transactions. For single-worker setups, this works well. For multiple workers, PostgreSQL is recommended.

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Namespaces

Use namespaceId to isolate environments: 
const devBackend = BackendSqlite.connect("./backend.db", {
  namespaceId: "development",
});

const testBackend = BackendSqlite.connect("./backend.db", {
  namespaceId: "test",
});
See Namespaces for more details.

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Config File Example

For use with the CLI, create openworkflow.config.ts: 
import { defineConfig } from "@openworkflow/cli";
import { BackendSqlite } from "openworkflow/sqlite";

export default defineConfig({
  backend: BackendSqlite.connect("./openworkflow/backend.db"),
  dirs: ["./openworkflow"],
});

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Development + Production Setup

A common pattern uses SQLite for development and PostgreSQL for production: 
import { defineConfig } from "@openworkflow/cli";
import { BackendPostgres } from "openworkflow/postgres";
import { BackendSqlite } from "openworkflow/sqlite";

const isDev = process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production";

const backend = isDev
  ? BackendSqlite.connect("./openworkflow/backend.db")
  : await BackendPostgres.connect(process.env.OPENWORKFLOW_POSTGRES_URL!);

export default defineConfig({
  backend,
  dirs: ["./openworkflow"],
});