SQLite 3.38 Released With Improved JSON Support, CLI Enhancements

SQLite 3.38 was released as the first major update of 2022 for this popular embedded SQL database library.

Way back in SQLite 3.9 in 2015 it added the JSON1 module for beginning to build up the support for storing JSON data within SQLite databases. With SQLite 3.38, that JSON module is now built-in by default and no longer requires a compile-time option to enable. SQLite JSON functions can now be considered built-in moving forward.

Furthermore, SQLite 3.38 adds the -> and ->> operations for easier processing of JSON data and in a compliant manner to MySQL and PostgreSQL databases. These operators take a JSON string as the left operand and a path expression / object field label or array index as the right operand. These operators allow for easily working on JSON data in a manner that now works nicely along SQLite / MySQL / PostgreSQL.

SQLite 3.38 also adds the unixepoch() function for returning a Unix timestamp, sqlite3_error_offset() for localizing an SQL error to a specific character, various virtual table improvements, command-line enhancements like columnar output modes now correctly handling tabs / newlines within the text, and query planner enhancements. On the query planner front, SQLite 3.38 now uses a bloom filter to speed-up large analytic queries.

Overall this is a pretty hearty update for SQLite and a great first release of 2022. Downloads and more details on the SQLite 3.38 embedded database library via SQLite.org.