What advantages does using LevelDB offer?

[FPoBA]

What are the advantages? Why was it implemented?

 

[CIYAM]

When you are dealing with data that is mostly *binary* in nature a SQL DB doesn't really offer much advantage over a DB that is more "object based".

Basically you end up having to do *more work* with a SQL DB than a non-SQL DB to store/retrieve the records - so if you don't need SQL then it is actually going to be *faster* to not use it.

Understand that the *simplest* way to do things will always be the *fastest*.

[ScripterRon]

What are the advantages? Why was it implemented?

I've used LevelDB, H2, Firebird and PostgreSQL with my JavaBitcoin node.  LevelDB wins hands-down on both performance and database size.  It is ideal for a bitcoin database where you have a small number of keys (usually just the transaction or block hash) and don't need the complexity of the SQL SELECT statement.  It is easy to implement a secondary index (such as block height->block) using a separate map.

Ron

[azeteki]

The UXTO db as implemented stores unspent outputs, serialized, keyed by txid.

That's it. Want to know if a txid has unspent outputs? Look in the DB and deserialize the information.

Nothing more advanced than that is really required.

[FPoBA]

Thanks for all your replies, I have a clearer picture now.