SophiaDB – The modern, portable MySQL‑compatible database

SophiaDB is a lightweight, cross‑platform SQL database that combines MySQL compatibility with a modern architecture, built‑in security, and maximum portability.
Buy once, use forever — no subscriptions, no paywalls, no artificial limitations.

Why SophiaDB?

SophiaDB is designed for developers, DevOps teams, and companies that need a reliable, secure, and easy‑to‑deploy database — without the complexity of traditional SQL servers and without expensive enterprise licenses.

Key Features

MySQL Compatibility (approx. 70% coverage)

SophiaDB supports most of the MySQL syntax and behaves like a familiar MySQL server — ideal for existing projects, tools, and workflows.
The engine is compatible with:

• Standard SQL
• MySQL DML and DDL
• MySQL Shell client
• MySQL‑like data types and table structures

 MySQL Shell Support

SophiaDB can be accessed directly using the MySQL Shell (mysqlsh).
This means:

• Autocomplete
• Command history
• Multi‑line SQL
• Scripting
• A familiar developer experience

No additional tools, no configuration required.

Integrated SSH SQL Server

SophiaDB includes its own SSH server that provides an interactive SQL shell — without any external clients.

• Connect directly via SSH
• Execute SQL instantly
• No ports to expose
• No client installation
• Perfect for DevOps, remote servers, and edge devices

 Server‑Side Encryption (SSE)

SophiaDB encrypts data transparently on the server — without plugins and without enterprise licensing.

• AES‑256 encryption
• Master key fingerprint
• Full table‑level encryption
• Automatic encryption and decryption
• Integrated encryption status checker

Enterprise‑grade security without enterprise‑grade costs.

Portable binaries for all platforms

SophiaDB runs everywhere — no installation, no dependencies.

• Windows (amd64, arm64)
• Linux (amd64, arm64)
• macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon)³

A single binary per platform.
Start it and you’re ready to go.

 Zero‑Install, Zero‑Config

SophiaDB is ready to use immediately:

• No installers
• No registry entries
• No system services
• No configuration required

Ideal for:

• Local development
• Portable tools
• Containers
• Embedded systems
• Offline environments

 Buy once — use forever

SophiaDB follows a clear philosophy:

One‑time purchase. All features¹. All updates. Forever.

No subscriptions.
No enterprise paywalls.
No artificial limitations.

Who is SophiaDB for?

• Developers looking for a portable MySQL alternative
• Startups avoiding expensive enterprise licenses
• DevOps teams who love SSH‑based SQL access
• Embedded and edge computing environments
• Security‑focused projects requiring SSE
• Companies needing a simple, reliable SQL engine

In short

SophiaDB is a modern, secure, and portable SQL database that combines MySQL compatibility with built‑in encryption, SSH access, and a one‑time pricing model.
A tool that feels like MySQL — but lighter, safer², and fairer.

Platform support includes, but is not limited to:

• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Linux
• macOS

Minimum Hardware requirements:

Windows 10 / Linux

• Intel® Celeron® 7305L
  • 1 GB LPDDR5/LPDDR4x RAM
• AMD® Phenom II X6 1090T
  • 1 GB DDR3/DDR2 RAM
• 4 GB disk space

macOS

• Intel® Mac (2012 or newer) with macOS 10.15+
  e.g., Intel Core i5‑3210M or better
• or Apple Silicon (M1 or newer)
• 4 GB RAM
• 4 GB disk space

Recommended minimum:

Debian

• Intel® i7-77ooK
• 16 GB DDR4 RAM
• 4 TB Disk space

Windows 11

• Intel® i9-10900K
• 32 GB DDR4 RAM
• 4.5 TB Disk space

MacOS

• Not recommended

¹ There is no guarantee for future updates. The product may be discontinued at any time.
² We take no responsibility for security violations/issues.
³ Darwin/MacOS support not guaranteed nor tested. Using it with MacOS is generally not recommended.

Usage:

No arguments
start as regular SQL server on Port 3306, like MySQL
-check-encryption
inspect bbolt and report encryption status and exit
-create-user string -password string
create a new user (username)
-db string
path to bbolt database file (default “data.db”)
-key string
path to master key file (default “master.key”)
-mysql_auth_server_static_file string
JSON File to read the users/passwords from.
-mysql_auth_server_static_string string
JSON representation of the users/passwords config.
-mysql_auth_static_reload_interval duration
Ticker to reload credentials
-mysql_clientcert_auth_method string
client-side authentication method to use. Supported values: mysql_clear_password, dialog. (default “mysql_clear_password”)
-ssh
enable SSH shell access (SophiaDB will not listen to regular SQL connections on Port 3306)
-ssh-port int
SSH listen port (default 2222)