.sqlite3 File Extension
.sqlite3 database contains, how to identify and open it safely, how Poly supports it, and when to export its data. File extension details for .sqlite3
Storage Only| File type | SQLite 3 database |
|---|---|
| MIME type | |
| Encoding | Binary, page-based SQLite 3 database; text values use UTF-8 or UTF-16 |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Opens with | SQLite command-line shell, DB Browser for SQLite, SQLite-compatible applications |
| Poly support | Yes. Poly stores, syncs, shares, versions, and downloads .sqlite3 files. |
| Indexed by Poly | Name only. Database schemas, tables, rows, and embedded text are not indexed. |
| Preview in Poly | No. Download the file and open it with SQLite-compatible software. |
| Poly agent | No. The Poly agent cannot query or read the database contents. |
What kind of file is a .sqlite3?
A .sqlite3 file is conventionally a database in the SQLite 3 format. It can keep tables, indexes, views, triggers, text, numbers, and binary objects in one portable binary file. The registered MIME type is application/vnd.sqlite3. IANA also associates .sqlite and the more ambiguous .db suffix with that type.1
A valid SQLite 3 main database begins with this 16-byte signature:2
53 51 4C 69 74 65 20 66 6F 72 6D 61 74 20 33 00
Those bytes spell SQLite format 3 followed by a zero byte. Checking the header is more reliable than trusting the filename, because SQLite does not require a particular suffix. Transaction state may also depend on a companion rollback journal or write-ahead log.2
.sqlite3 does not convert it into SQLite. The file must be created or exported by SQLite-aware software.How do I open a .sqlite3 on my computer?
Use the official sqlite3 command-line shell or DB Browser for SQLite on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Many mobile and desktop applications also embed SQLite, although their database files may be intended as private application data rather than editable documents.
For an unfamiliar file, work on a copy and begin read-only:
sqlite3 -readonly example.sqlite3
In the shell, .tables lists tables, .schema shows definitions, and PRAGMA quick_check; performs a lightweight consistency check.3
Poly support for .sqlite3
Poly stores, syncs, shares, versions, and downloads .sqlite3 files, and makes their filenames and ordinary file properties searchable. Poly does not currently infer the registered SQLite MIME type from this suffix alone.
There is no in-app database browser. Poly does not index schemas, table names, rows, or embedded text, and the Poly agent cannot query the database. If a workflow knows the file is SQLite, supply the accurate application/vnd.sqlite3 MIME type, then download the file for inspection in SQLite-aware software.
History of .sqlite3
SQLite 3.0.0 was released on June 18, 2004 with a new, incompatible on-disk format, BLOB support, UTF-8 and UTF-16 text, 64-bit row IDs, and improved concurrency.5 The explicit .sqlite3 suffix distinguishes that generation from older SQLite formats, though the database engine itself accepts other filenames.
The MIME registration came later. IANA registered application/vnd.sqlite3 in 2018 and listed .sqlite3, .sqlite, and .db as associated extensions.1
Working with .sqlite3 and alternatives
Choose an export according to what must remain usable:
| Output | Best for | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| SQL dump | Rebuilding schema and rows | Must be imported into a database engine |
| CSV | One table or query result | Loses relationships, indexes, triggers, and BLOB fidelity |
| JSON | Application and API interchange | Has no universal mapping for a relational schema |
The SQLite shell's .dump command creates a text representation of schema and data.3 CSV is easier to preview and search in Poly, but retain the original database when constraints, relationships, or exact values matter.
Do not casually copy a database while another process is writing to it. In WAL mode, recent committed data can reside in the companion -wal file. Use SQLite's backup API or a SQLite-aware backup command to make a consistent standalone copy.12
Footnotes
- Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. application/vnd.sqlite3 Media Type Registration. It documents the registered extensions, binary encoding, magic number, and safe-copy considerations. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
- SQLite Project. Database File Format. The specification defines the header, page structure, and transaction side files. ↩ ↩2 ↩3
- SQLite Project. Command-Line Shell for SQLite. The manual documents read-only opening, inspection commands,
.dump, and CSV output. ↩ ↩2 - SQLite Project. Defense Against the Dark Arts. The guidance covers defensive configuration and integrity checks for untrusted databases. ↩
- SQLite Project. SQLite Release 3.0.0. The release notes date the SQLite 3 format and summarize its major changes. ↩