The database your team can carry. One .qkey file contains your schema, data, and the rules QKeyDB uses to interpret them, so the same database behaves the same on a laptop, a server, or an air-gapped lab machine.
Meet QKey FormatUse .qkey when humans need to author, diff, and approve schemas and contracts. Switch to compact .qkb when scans and throughput matter—binary storage stays compatibility-aware so upgrades stay predictable.
Carry separate databases inside a single portable container when domains should stay isolated but deployment should stay simple—fewer scattered files while preserving clear boundaries.
First-class comments plus declarative @schema, @version, and @fields keep intent visible from pull request through production—the same artifact behaves the same on laptops, servers, or air-gapped hosts.
Move data through JSON, CSV, XML, readable QKey, and binary QKB using the same import, export, and convert workflows—no separate “integration SKU.”
Lightweight text/binary parsing and stringify paths suit browsers and glue services—ideal when partners only need dependable encode/decode at the edge.
Packaged deployments add streaming conversion, comment-preserving round trips, custom format hooks, and richer typed values—built for heavier pipelines without abandoning the same mental model.
Authorize services with keys and scoped roles—not bolt-on DB users stapled late. Stage from permissive wiring through audit coverage into enforced deny-by-default policies backed by policy artifacts and HMAC material.
An in-memory LivingIndex keeps reads fast while durability stays append-oriented and checkpoint-aware; add ordinary secondary indexes first when SQL paths repeat—visibility tools show replay pressure when artifacts grow.
VH1 adds advanced vector indexing for embedding-style search inside the same single-file durability story—reach for it once relational indexes stop matching the question, not on day one.
Use precision SQL where it matters and natural-language helpers where accessibility wins—every surface routes through the same predictable artifact model.
Lifecycle commands stay inside the file discipline—checkpoint-aware startup and governance presets keep regulated teams oriented without bespoke tooling.
Cluster editions separate data artifacts from control-plane facts: topology, trust material, routing and sharding, observer promotion, fencing, conflict visibility, CA bootstrap, and rebalance planning live in the cluster file while datasets remain portable.
Portable artifacts, proven interchange, ACL-first security, indexing that grows with you—and a cluster story when multi-node reality hits.