Where I have used SQLite most successfully is really two use cases. First, I use it for data processing. Say I need to retrieve lots of data and transform it to a different setup. I could do that in something like Python but SQL is just more expressive for that and I can also create a new database, populate it with data I have, fetch new data, combine it together, export the update to a permanent data store (usually Postgres).

Second, when I need a local save file. Sometimes small local apps are better served by a save file and they save file might as well have an extensible format that I can update as I go. This is more rare but still can be useful.

The first use case is very powerful. A temporary SQL database that can be blown away with zero trace of it is great. And the ability to run complex queries on it can really help.

But 99% of the time I just use Postgres. It works, it has sane defaults, it is crazy extensible, and it has never not met my needs, unlike Oracle or MySQL.

DuckDB via Python is my go-to for that first use case. It’s easier than ever to use Python and SQL together with Marimo notebooks.

``` uv run --with marimo marimo run --sandbox ```

and you’re ready to go.