What is difference between SQLite and SQL

I know SQLite Data Base is used in mobile devices (Android, iPhone) and it is light, takes only Kb space. Is there any limitation in SQLite? I want to know how they are different.

Every SQL database uses its own implementation of the language that varies slightly. While basic queries are almost universal, there are notable nuances between MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, etc.

What's particularly notable about SQLite is that unlike all the others mentioned above, this database software doesn't come with a daemon that queries are passed through. This means that if multiple processes are using the database at once, they will be directly altering the data through the SQLite library and making the read / write data calls to the OS themselves. It also means that the locking mechanisms don't deal with contention very well.

This isn't a problem for most applications that where one would think of using SQLite -- the small overhead benefits and easy data retrieval are worth it. However, if you'll be accessing your database with more than one process or don't consider mapping all your requests through one thread, it could be slightly troublesome.

Sqlite is very light version of SQL supporting many features of SQL. Basically is been developed for small devices like mobile phones, tablets etc.

SQLite is a third party ,open-sourced and in-process database engine. SQL Server Compact is from Microsoft, and is a stripped-down version of SQL Server.They are two competing database engines.

SQL is query language. Sqlite is embeddable relational database management system.

Edit : ( Source from following comment on my answer )

Sqlite also doesn't require a special database server or anything. It's just a direct filesystem engine that uses SQL syntax. ( By : Adam Plocher )

Techinically, SQLite is not open-source software but rather public domain. There is no license. ( By : Larry Lustig )

SQL is query language. Sqlite is embeddable relational database management system.

Unlike other databases (like SQL Server and MySQL) SQLite does not support stored procedures.

SQLite is file-based, unlike other databases, like SQL Server and MySQL which are server-based.

What is SQLite?

• SQLite is an open-source, zero-configuration, self-contained, stand-alone, transaction relational database engine designed to be embedded into an application.

• Python SQLite can be defined as a C Library developed using ANSI-C, light-weight disc based database; doesn't demand for an extra or any other separate server process.

What are some SQLite characteristic?

• SQLite does NOT require a server to run (RDBMS such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc., requires a separate server process to operate).

• Is self-contained, it requires minimal support from the operating system or external library. This makes SQLite usable in any environment especially in embedded devices like iPhones, Android phones, game consoles, handheld media players.

• Does not use any configuration files.

• Is ACID-compliant. It means all queries and changes are Atomic, Consistent, Isolated, and Durable, all changes within a transaction take place completely or not at all even when an unexpected situation like application crash, power failure, or operating system crash occurs.

• Capable of creating in-memory databases that are very fast to work with.

• Uses dynamic types for tables. It means you can store any value in any column, regardless of the data type.

• Allows a single database connection to access multiple database files simultaneously.

SQLite & ACID

SQLite guarantees all the transactions are ACID compliant even if the transaction is interrupted by a program crash, operation system dump, or power failure to the computer.

• Atomic: a transaction should be atomic. It means that a change cannot be broken down into smaller ones. When you commit a transaction, either the entire transaction is applied or not.

• Consistent: a transaction must ensure to change the database from one valid state to another. When a transaction starts and executes a statement to modify data, the database becomes inconsistent. However, when the transaction is committed or rolled back, it is important that the transaction must keep the database consistent.

• Isolation: a pending transaction performed by a session must be isolated from other sessions. When a session starts a transaction and executes the INSERT or UPDATE statement to change the data, these changes are only visible to the current session, not others. On the other hand, the changes committed by other sessions after the transaction started should not be visible to the current session.

• Durable: if a transaction is successfully committed, the changes must be permanent in the database regardless of the condition such as power failure or program crash. On the contrary, if the program crashes before the transaction is committed, the change should not persist.

---

Credit Sqlitetutorial.net

The most basic difference between SQLite and SQL is :

SQL is a query language which is used by different SQL databases. It is not a database itself.

SQLite is a database management system itself which uses SQL.

SQL is a database querying language and SQLite is a database (RDBMS) which uses SQL specifications. SQLite can be said as competitor to Microsoft's SQL Server.

The name itself suggests that it is the light version of SQL RDBMS. It is used in most of the small and portable devices like Android and iOS devices.

SQLite: Database Management System (DBMS).
SQL: Structured Query Language is a computer language, used to Create, edit and get data from DBMS via queries.