How to connect Node.js to SQLite

SQLite stores a relational database in a single local file, which fits Node.js command-line tools, small services, prototypes, and background jobs that need durable state without running a separate database server.

Node.js 24 LTS includes the node:sqlite module, so a basic connection can use DatabaseSync without adding an npm database driver. The built-in API executes synchronously, which is straightforward for scripts and startup tasks but can block request handling when heavy queries run inside a busy server process.

A starter connection script can write app.sqlite in the project directory, create a table if needed, insert rows through prepared statements, and read a filtered row back. Printing the database location and row counts proves that Node.js opened the SQLite file and executed a bound query.

1. Open the Node.js project root.

   If the project does not have package.json yet, create the project metadata before adding database code.
   Related: How to create a Node.js project with npm

2. Confirm that the runtime can load the built-in SQLite module.

   $ node -e "import('node:sqlite').then(() => console.log('node:sqlite available'))"
   node:sqlite available

   Current Node.js documentation marks node:sqlite as a release-candidate built-in module. Use a separate SQLite driver when the project policy requires only stable APIs.

3. Create the SQLite connection script.

   db-check.mjs

   import { DatabaseSync } from "node:sqlite";
    
   const database = new DatabaseSync("app.sqlite", { timeout: 5000 });
    
   try {
     database.exec(`
       CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tasks (
         id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
         title TEXT NOT NULL,
         status TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'open'
       ) STRICT
     `);
    
     const upsert = database.prepare(`
       INSERT INTO tasks (id, title, status)
       VALUES (?, ?, ?)
       ON CONFLICT(id) DO UPDATE SET
         title = excluded.title,
         status = excluded.status
     `);
    
     upsert.run(1, "ship SQLite connection", "open");
     upsert.run(2, "write follow-up query", "done");
    
     const summary = database.prepare(`
       SELECT COUNT(*) AS task_count,
              SUM(status = 'open') AS open_count
       FROM tasks
     `).get();
    
     const nextTask = database.prepare(`
       SELECT id, title
       FROM tasks
       WHERE status = ?
       ORDER BY id
       LIMIT 1
     `).get("open");
    
     console.log(`database=${database.location()}`);
     console.log(`tasks=${summary.task_count}`);
     console.log(`open=${summary.open_count}`);
     console.log(`next=${nextTask.id}:${nextTask.title}`);
   } finally {
     database.close();
   }

   DatabaseSync opens the file when the instance is created. Prepared statements keep values separate from SQL text and are the normal path for user-supplied data.

4. Run the database smoke test.

   $ node db-check.mjs
   database=/app/app.sqlite
   tasks=2
   open=1
   next=1:ship SQLite connection

   The path will match the project directory where db-check.mjs runs. The row counts should stay the same on repeated runs because the script upserts the sample rows.

5. Confirm that the SQLite database file exists.

   $ node -e "import { accessSync } from 'node:fs'; accessSync('app.sqlite'); console.log('app.sqlite exists')"
   app.sqlite exists