Embedded Firebird Features

Firebird is an excellent embedded database:

Runtime size

The size of the runtime is 2 MB in the minimal configuration. There are only two files required (an embedded Firebird runtime DLL and an ADO.NET provider assembly). Even with all the other supporting files it doesn't get over 3 MB.

XCOPY deployment

Both the runtime and database file can be deployed by simple copying, no separate installer or component registration is required.

Custom filename extensions

The database file (it's just a single file) can have any name and extension and can be located at any place on your hard drive. You can associate the extension with your application. This allows you to use Firebird database as an intelligent storage format.

Migration

When migrating the database to a standalone Firebird server just copy the database file and change a connection string on your client. The migration to a standalone Firebird server couldn't be easier.

Open-source

The license is open-source but commercial friendly. You can bundle embedded Firebird with your application without making your code available.

Related information

Embedded Firebird Documentation