Quick Links

• Example Code
• Supported Python Versions
• Documentation
• Changelog
• Extensions
• Contributing

Introduction

TinyDB is a lightweight document oriented database optimized for your happiness :) It's written in pure Python and has no external dependencies. The target are small apps that would be blown away by a SQL-DB or an external database server.

TinyDB is:

• tiny: The current source code has 1800 lines of code (with about 40% documentation) and 1600 lines tests.
• document oriented: Like MongoDB, you can store any document (represented as dict) in TinyDB.
• optimized for your happiness: TinyDB is designed to be simple and fun to use by providing a simple and clean API.
• written in pure Python: TinyDB neither needs an external server (as e.g. PyMongo) nor any dependencies from PyPI.
• works on Python 3.8+ and PyPy3: TinyDB works on all modern versions of Python and PyPy.
• powerfully extensible: You can easily extend TinyDB by writing new storages or modify the behaviour of storages with Middlewares.
• 100% test coverage: No explanation needed.

To dive straight into all the details, head over to the TinyDB docs. You can also discuss everything related to TinyDB like general development, extensions or showcase your TinyDB-based projects on the discussion forum.

Supported Python Versions

TinyDB has been tested with Python 3.8 - 3.13 and PyPy3.

Project Status

This project is in maintenance mode. It has reached a mature, stable state where significant new features or architectural changes are not planned. That said, there will still be releases for bugfixes or features contributed by the community. Read more about what this means in particular here.

Example Code

>>> from tinydb import TinyDB, Query
>>> db = TinyDB('/path/to/db.json')
>>> db.insert({'int': 1, 'char': 'a'})
>>> db.insert({'int': 1, 'char': 'b'})

Query Language

>>> User = Query()
>>> # Search for a field value
>>> db.search(User.name == 'John')
[{'name': 'John', 'age': 22}, {'name': 'John', 'age': 37}]

>>> # Combine two queries with logical and
>>> db.search((User.name == 'John') & (User.age <= 30))
[{'name': 'John', 'age': 22}]

>>> # Combine two queries with logical or
>>> db.search((User.name == 'John') | (User.name == 'Bob'))
[{'name': 'John', 'age': 22}, {'name': 'John', 'age': 37}, {'name': 'Bob', 'age': 42}]

>>> # Negate a query with logical not
>>> db.search(~(User.name == 'John'))
[{'name': 'Megan', 'age': 27}, {'name': 'Bob', 'age': 42}]

>>> # Apply transformation to field with `map`
>>> db.search((User.age.map(lambda x: x + x) == 44))
>>> [{'name': 'John', 'age': 22}]

>>> # More possible comparisons:  !=  <  >  <=  >=
>>> # More possible checks: where(...).matches(regex), where(...).test(your_test_func)

Tables

>>> table = db.table('name')
>>> table.insert({'value': True})
>>> table.all()
[{'value': True}]

Using Middlewares

>>> from tinydb.storages import JSONStorage
>>> from tinydb.middlewares import CachingMiddleware
>>> db = TinyDB('/path/to/db.json', storage=CachingMiddleware(JSONStorage))

Contributing

Whether reporting bugs, discussing improvements and new ideas or writing extensions: Contributions to TinyDB are welcome! Here's how to get started:

1. Check for open issues or open a fresh issue to start a discussion around a feature idea or a bug
2. Fork the repository on Github, create a new branch off the master branch and start making your changes (known as GitHub Flow)
3. Write a test which shows that the bug was fixed or that the feature works as expected
4. Send a pull request and bug the maintainer until it gets merged and published ☺