> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.turso.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# libSQL

> libSQL is a production-ready fork of SQLite, maintained by Turso.

libSQL is a fork of SQLite, created because SQLite is [open-source but not open-contribution](https://www.sqlite.org/copyright.html). libSQL is production-ready, fully backwards compatible with SQLite, and adds features like native vector search.

<Note>
  libSQL represents where we started. Today, our focus is [Turso Database](/tursodb/quickstart), a full rewrite of SQLite built from scratch, designed for the highest density of databases with no need for servers or connectivity. If you're starting a new project, we recommend [Turso Database](/tursodb/quickstart). For mission-critical workloads that need a battle-tested foundation today, libSQL is the right choice.
</Note>

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="tursodatabase/libsql" icon="github" href="https://github.com/tursodatabase/libsql/">
    Browse the libSQL source code on GitHub, report issues, feature requests and contribute using pull requests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Discord" href="https://tur.so/discord" icon="discord">
    Join the community on Discord to talk about the development of libSQL.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## libSQL vs. Turso Database

libSQL is a fork of SQLite. It maintains the same file format, the same API, and full backwards compatibility. It extends SQLite with features the ecosystem has long needed but couldn't contribute upstream.

[Turso Database](/tursodb/quickstart) is a different approach: a ground-up rewrite of SQLite. It reimplements SQLite's semantics with a modern architecture designed for concurrent writes, async I/O, and the highest database density in the industry.

|                      | libSQL                           | Turso Database                                              |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Approach             | Fork of SQLite                   | Full rewrite of SQLite                                      |
| Maturity             | Production-ready                 | Evolving (beta)                                             |
| SQLite compatibility | Full (same file format and API)  | Backwards compatible                                        |
| Best for             | Mission-critical workloads today | New projects, agents, smart devices, high-density use cases |

Both are open-contribution and maintained by Turso. [Turso Cloud](/turso-cloud) currently runs on libSQL and will integrate the Turso Database engine in the future.

## Extensions

<Info>
  If you're looking to enable vector extensions, you should instead consider
  using the native [libSQL vector datatype](/features/ai-and-embeddings).
</Info>

A full list of supported extensions can be found [here](/features/sqlite-extensions).