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ArangoDB

A multi-model database supporting graphs, key-value pairs, and documents in a unified JSON-based data model. Offers both an in-memory storage engine and a RocksDB-based engine for larger datasets.

Overall rank
#2
First released
March 2012
License
BUSL-1.1
Built with
C++

Lineage

AvocadoDB2012ArangoDBCivicGraph2019RecallGraphendedMinigraf2026
  • ArangoDB: renamed from AvocadoDB.
  • CivicGraph, 2019: based on ArangoDB.
  • RecallGraph: renamed from CivicGraph; no longer developed.
  • Minigraf, 2026: successor to RecallGraph.

Details

Vendor
ArangoDB Inc
Previous names
AvocadoDB
Type
Multiple
Category
Enterprise
License
BUSL-1.1
Language
C++
Query Languages
AQL
Protocols
HTTP/REST

Feature scores

Community & Business

Active development
✓
Updated within last 3 months
Commercial support
✓
Paid support available
Live community
50%
25-50% of issues addressed
Open Source
✓
Open source license
Pricing
0%
No pricing information
Trendiness
25%
No description available

Deployment

Containerization
✓
Docker image available
Work as dedicated instance
✓
Can run as standalone server
Work as embedded
0%
Standalone only
Testing in-memory version
✓
In-memory mode available

Platform

Operating on Linux
✓
Linux officially supported
Operating on Windows
✓
Windows officially supported
SaaS offering
0%
Self-hosted only

Operations

Automatic updates
0%
Manual updates only
Client side caching
0%
No client-side caching
Data versioning support
0%
No versioning
Live backups
✓
Hot backup supported

Distribution

Cluster Re-balancing
✓
Auto-rebalancing supported
Data Distribution
✓
Data sharding supported
High-Availability
✓
HA mechanisms available
Query Distribution
✓
Distributed query execution
Replication support
✓
Replication available

Developer Experience

Data types defined
✓
Composite data types
Logging/Auditing
✓
Event logging supported
Object-Graph Mapper
✓
OGM/ORM available
Reactive programming
0%
No reactive programming
Documentation up-to-date
✓
Docs current with latest version
Binary protocol
✓
Binary protocol available
CLI
✓
Command-line interface
GUI
✓
Visual interface available

Data Model

Multi-database
✓
Multi-model database
Graph-native data
0%
Graph abstraction layer
REST API
✓
REST endpoint available
Query Language
50%
Proprietary query language

Transactions

Granular locking
0%
No granular locking
Multiple isolation levels
0%
Read uncommitted only
Read committed transaction
0%
Not available
Transaction support
✓
ACID transactions

Schema & Security

Constraints
✓
Full constraint support
Schema support
50%
Constraints/triggers only
Secondary indexes
✓
Secondary indexes supported
Server side procedures
50%
No description available
Triggers
0%
No triggers
Authentication
✓
Authentication supported
Authorization
50%
No description available
Data encryption
✓
Data encryption supported
Sources 6 references

Protocols HTTP/REST

VelocyStream (VST) binary protocol was removed in 3.12; HTTP/REST is now the only wire protocol.

  • If the server responded with a non-2xx status code, this `NetworkError` will be an `HttpError` with a `code` property indicating the HTTP status code of the response
    ArangoDB JavaScript Driver · reviewed 2026-08-02

License BUSL-1.1

Corrected from BSL-1.1: the repository's LICENSE file is the Business Source License 1.1 (SPDX id BUSL-1.1), not the unrelated Boost Software License. Precompiled Community Edition binaries carry a separate 'ArangoDB Community License' per Wikipedia, but the source itself is BUSL-1.1.

  • Business Source License 1.1 Terms The Licensor hereby grants you the right to copy, modify, create derivative
    LICENSE · reviewed 2026-08-02

Released 2012-03

Matches current value. ArangoDB began as AvocadoDB; a third-party blog captured the original March 29, 2012 project announcement verbatim (the project was renamed ArangoDB in May 2012 but keeps its original release date).

Language C++

Matches current value; confirmed directly in the project's own README.

  • ArangoDB is written in C++ and can handle even very large datasets efficiently.
    README · reviewed 2026-08-02

Previous names AvocadoDB