How to Install SQLite3 on Fedora or CentOS Using DNF/YUM

I’ve installed SQLite3 on dozens of Linux systems, and Fedora and CentOS make it straightforward. Let me walk you through the entire process, from understanding what you’re getting to handling common issues.

What SQLite3 Actually Gives You

SQLite3 is a serverless database engine that lives directly inside your application. Unlike PostgreSQL or MySQL, there’s no separate server process to manage. The entire database sits in a single file on your disk. When you install SQLite3 on your system, you get both the command-line tool and the development libraries that let other programs use it.

The Installation Command

Open your terminal and run:

sudo dnf install sqlite

If you’re on an older CentOS system (before CentOS 8), use:

sudo yum install sqlite

The package manager will show you what it plans to install and ask for confirmation. Type y and press Enter.

Getting the Development Libraries

Here’s something I learned the hard way: if you plan to write programs that use SQLite3, or if you need to compile software that depends on it, you need the development package too:

sudo dnf install sqlite-devel

The main sqlite package gives you the command-line tool. The sqlite-devel package provides header files and libraries that developers need. I’ve seen plenty of compile errors from people who skipped this step.

Verifying Your Installation

After installation completes, check which version you got:

sqlite3 --version

You should see output like 3.34.1 or whatever version is current in your distribution’s repositories. Fedora typically ships newer versions than CentOS because it updates more frequently.

Your First SQLite3 Session

Launch the SQLite3 shell:

sqlite3

You’ll see a prompt that looks like sqlite>. Try creating a quick test database:

CREATE TABLE test (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, name TEXT);
INSERT INTO test VALUES (1, 'working');
SELECT * FROM test;

Exit the shell with .quit or press Ctrl+D.

Working With Database Files

When you want to work with a specific database file:

sqlite3 mydatabase.db

If the file doesn’t exist, SQLite3 creates it. If it does exist, SQLite3 opens it. The database file can live anywhere you have write permissions.

Common Installation Issues

Problem: DNF or YUM can’t find the package.

Solution: Your system repositories might need updating. Run sudo dnf update or sudo yum update first. On CentOS, you might need to enable EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux):

sudo yum install epel-release
sudo yum update

Problem: Permission denied errors when trying to create databases.

Solution: SQLite3 needs write access to the directory where you’re creating the database file. Create databases in your home directory or a location where your user has permissions.

Problem: Compile errors mentioning sqlite3.h not found.

Solution: Install the sqlite-devel package. Compilers need those header files.

Checking Available Packages

Want to see what SQLite-related packages are available?

dnf search sqlite

or

yum search sqlite

You’ll see packages like sqlite-tcl (Tcl bindings), sqlite-doc (documentation), and various language-specific bindings.

Performance Considerations

SQLite3 works great for applications with moderate write loads and any read load. I’ve used it successfully for:

• Local development databases
• Application configuration storage
• Log aggregation on single servers
• Small to medium web applications

Where it struggles: high-concurrency write scenarios. Multiple processes can read simultaneously, but writes lock the entire database file. For heavy concurrent writes, you’ll want PostgreSQL or MySQL instead.

The Development Workflow

When building applications, I keep a development database separate from production data. Create a test database:

sqlite3 dev_test.db

Load your schema, add test data, experiment. The beauty of SQLite3 is you can delete the entire file and start fresh in seconds. No complicated server resets needed.

Integration With Other Tools

Many programming languages have built-in SQLite3 support. Python includes sqlite3 in its standard library. PHP has PDO SQLite drivers. Ruby has the sqlite3 gem. Once you’ve installed the system package, these language bindings typically work without additional setup.

Backup Strategy

Backing up SQLite3 databases is simple because each database is a single file. Just copy the file:

cp mydatabase.db mydatabase_backup.db

For live databases where writes might be happening, use the SQLite3 backup command:

sqlite3 mydatabase.db ".backup backup.db"

When to Choose SQLite3

SQLite3 makes sense when:

• You need embedded database functionality
• Your application runs on a single server
• You want zero configuration overhead
• You’re prototyping or building MVPs
• You need reliable local data storage

Skip it when:

• You need high-concurrency writes
• You’re running distributed systems
• You need complex user permission systems
• You require database-level replication

The installation takes about 30 seconds. The learning curve is gentle. You get a production-ready database engine without managing servers, users, or complex configurations. That’s the value proposition that has made SQLite3 the most deployed database engine in the world.