Using SQLite

Wrap-Up

If you’ve made it through the whole chapter, you should have a pretty good idea of what the virtual table system can do and how it works. A well-written internal module can bring a whole new feature set to the database, allowing an application to shape and manipulate data structures that SQLite might not otherwise be able to store or process in an efficient manner. External modules can provide a data conduit, providing both speed and flexibility in the use of external data sources. They can also double as powerful data importers.

That power comes at a cost, however. Without getting into filesystems and storage engines, a module is the most complex bit of extension code most people will ever write for SQLite. A good module depends on a solid design that will properly track all of the necessary states and perform all of the required functions.

To avoid frustration, it is often a good idea to start with the simple base cases and expand your code and design to cover the more complex situations.