Using a database for your application’s
permanent storage is a practical, standard decision. But what do
you do when your application is deployed on a machine that will not
have access to your company’s enterprise databases? You take the
database with you. If you need a database on the go, then HSQLDB may be the
solution for you.

HSQLDB is a compact, 100 percent Java, SQL
standards-based, database engine. You can embed HSQLDB into your
applications and control it programmatically, or you can run it as
a stand-alone database as you would any other JDBC-compliant
database. It’s useful when you need database access from a location
with no access to your company’s network; when you need an
in-memory storage solution; or as a resource for unit testing your
database components.

HSQLDB stands apart from many open source
projects by providing extra features with the core product. For
instance, HSQLDB has a built-in Web server and comes with a servlet
for accessing the database. The tiny database also supports
triggers and indexes and allows you to call Java procedures
directly from within your SQL statements.

Feature-for-feature and performance-wise,
HSQLDB cannot compare with the standard commercial solutions like
Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase. But if you need an
embedded database for your application, then HSQLDB might be the
right answer for you.

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