Apache Derby
| Company type | Open source |
|---|---|
| Industry | Database management system software |
| Predecessor | IBM Cloudscape |
| Founded | 1996 in Oakland, California, United States |
| Founder | Nat Wyatt, Howard Torf |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Relational database management system |
| Owner | Apache Software Foundation |
| Website | db |
Apache Derby—previously known as IBM Cloudscape—is a relational database management system (RDBMS) created by the Apache Software Foundation. This open-source, compact Java-based database is tailored for integration within Java applications and supports online transaction processing, maintaining a minimal disk size of approximately 3.5 MB. Distributed under the Apache 2.0 license, Apache Derby was once offered by Oracle under the name Java DB, a distribution that was discontinued starting with JDK 9.
History
The inception of Apache Derby traces back to Cloudscape Inc, a startup located in Oakland, California, established in 1996 by Nat Wyatt and Howard Torf with the goal of developing Java-centric database technology. Its initial version, named JBMS, was released in 1997 and subsequently rebranded as Cloudscape, with new versions issued biannually.
In 1999, Informix Software acquired Cloudscape, and two years later, IBM obtained Informix’s database assets including Cloudscape. IBM then renamed the product IBM Cloudscape and concentrated on embedding it within its Java offerings and middleware solutions.
In August 2004, IBM contributed the source code to the Apache Software Foundation under the name Derby, beginning as an incubator project within Apache DB. By July 2005, Derby completed incubation and became an official sub-project of the Apache DB Top Level Project. Prior to this milestone, Sun Microsystems joined the initiative to incorporate Derby into their product lineup; following this collaboration, Sun packaged Derby as Java DB starting with the December 2006 release of Java 6.
IBM halted marketing and official support for Cloudscape in March 2007 but maintained its development contributions to Apache Derby. Oracle continues to offer a supported version of Apache Derby under the Java DB brand.
Derby embedded database engine
At its core, Derby provides a fully featured embedded relational database engine that supports JDBC and SQL interfaces, utilizing IBM Db2-style SQL syntax for querying.
Derby Network Server
The network server component expands Derby’s capabilities by enabling client-server architecture through TCP/IP connections using the standard DRDA protocol. It accommodates clients utilizing networked JDBC, ODBC/CLI, and Perl interfaces.
Embedded Network Server
Derby also offers a hybrid configuration that functions simultaneously as an embedded database and network server, allowing external clients to connect via TCP/IP alongside local JVM-based connections.
Database utilities
- ij: A tool for executing SQL scripts against any JDBC-compliant database.
- dblook: Utility designed to extract schema definitions from Derby databases.
- sysinfo: Displays detailed information regarding version and classpath settings.
See also
- List of relational database management systems
- Comparison of relational database management systems
- H2
- HSQLDB
Bibliography
- Paul C. Zikopoulos, George Baklarz, Dan Scott (2005). Apache Derby—Off to the Races: Includes Details of IBM Cloudscape. IBM Press. 600 pages.