Best Offline-First Databases for C#

Ditto is a mobile database designed with an offline-first approach, ensuring that data remains accessible locally and consistently across various devices, even in completely disconnected scenarios. At its foundation, Ditto leverages Conflict-Free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs) to manage conflicts automatically and provide robust eventual consistency, eliminating the need for developers to create custom merge solutions. However, Ditto goes beyond the capabilities of typical offline-first databases. It innovates by enabling offline-first applications to synchronize seamlessly, even without an internet connection. Ditto stands out as the sole offline-first database that incorporates integrated peer-to-peer and mesh networking, allowing devices to connect and sync directly without relying on cloud or server infrastructure. In the absence of a network connection, Ditto-equipped devices can locate and synchronize with nearby devices using Bluetooth, peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, LAN, or cellular networks—ensuring timely updates, even in challenging environments.

Realm is an innovative, mobile-centric open-source object database specifically engineered to operate seamlessly on phones, tablets, and wearable devices. By offering a straightforward, object-oriented data model, it eliminates the necessity for an Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) layer, allowing developers to create models using standard classes in popular programming languages such as Swift, Java, Kotlin, C#, JavaScript, Dart, and C++. Its design prioritizes high efficiency and minimal memory footprint through techniques like zero-copy architecture, lazy loading, and multi-version concurrency control (MVCC), ensuring safe operations across multiple threads. Realm's live objects and collections synchronize automatically across threads, providing a foundation for reactive programming methodologies. Furthermore, it allows for the establishment of intricate data structures by enabling relationships between objects through links and backlinks. Developers can also take advantage of tools like Realm Studio to explore and modify local Realm databases, facilitating integration with a variety of platforms, including React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, and Node.js. This adaptability makes Realm a compelling choice for developers looking to manage data efficiently in their mobile applications.