# OrientDB — Multi-Model Database Combining Documents, Graphs & Key-Value

> An open-source NoSQL database written in Java that natively supports document, graph, key-value, and object models in a single engine. Query with SQL-like syntax or traverse graphs without JOINs.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# OrientDB — Multi-Model Database for Documents, Graphs & Key-Value

## Quick Use
```bash
docker run -d --name orientdb -p 2480:2480 -p 2424:2424 
  -e ORIENTDB_ROOT_PASSWORD=root orientdb:latest
# Open http://localhost:2480 for OrientDB Studio
```

## Introduction
OrientDB is a multi-model database that stores documents, graphs, key-value pairs, and objects in a single engine without requiring separate systems. Its extended SQL dialect lets developers query documents and traverse graph relationships in the same statement, eliminating the need for JOINs.

## What OrientDB Does
- Stores and queries data as documents, graphs, key-value pairs, or objects using a single API
- Provides an extended SQL syntax that adds graph traversal operators like OUT(), IN(), and TRAVERSE
- Supports ACID transactions across both document and graph operations
- Scales horizontally with built-in multi-master replication and automatic sharding
- Includes OrientDB Studio, a web-based management interface for schema design, queries, and monitoring

## Architecture Overview
OrientDB uses a record-based storage engine where each record has a unique Record ID (RID). Graph edges are stored as direct physical links between records, making traversals an O(1) pointer follow rather than an index lookup. The database supports schema-full, schema-less, and schema-mixed modes. It runs on the JVM and embeds a distributed coordination layer based on the Hazelcast protocol for cluster management.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy via Docker or download the binary distribution and run `server.sh` / `server.bat`
- Set the root password via the `ORIENTDB_ROOT_PASSWORD` environment variable or during first startup
- Configure storage, networking, and memory in `config/orientdb-server-config.xml`
- For clusters, set up distributed mode by editing `config/default-distributed-db-config.json`
- Enable automatic backups with the built-in backup scheduler or use `EXPORT DATABASE` for manual dumps

## Key Features
- True multi-model engine avoids the overhead of synchronizing separate document and graph databases
- Direct record links make graph traversals faster than traditional relational JOINs
- Extended SQL with graph syntax lowers the learning curve compared to purely graph-specific query languages
- ACID-compliant transactions work across document and graph operations in the same commit
- Built-in HTTP and binary protocol APIs with official drivers for Java, Node.js, Python, and more

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Neo4j** — purpose-built graph database with the Cypher query language; OrientDB adds document and key-value models in the same engine
- **ArangoDB** — another multi-model database supporting documents, graphs, and search; OrientDB uses an extended SQL dialect while ArangoDB uses AQL
- **MongoDB** — leading document database; OrientDB adds native graph capabilities that MongoDB does not offer out of the box
- **Dgraph** — distributed GraphQL-native database; OrientDB provides a broader set of data models beyond graphs

## FAQ
**Q: Is OrientDB still actively maintained?**
A: OrientDB is maintained by SAP, which acquired the original company. The Community Edition remains open source under the Apache 2.0 license.

**Q: Can I use standard SQL with OrientDB?**
A: OrientDB supports an extended SQL dialect that covers most standard SQL operations plus graph-specific commands like TRAVERSE and MATCH.

**Q: How does OrientDB handle relationships compared to a relational database?**
A: Instead of foreign keys and JOINs, OrientDB stores direct physical pointers (edges) between records, making relationship traversal significantly faster.

**Q: What is the maximum dataset size OrientDB can handle?**
A: OrientDB can handle billions of records across a sharded cluster. Individual nodes can manage hundreds of gigabytes with proper JVM tuning.

## Sources
- https://github.com/orientechnologies/orientdb
- https://orientdb.org

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Author: AI Open Source