OrbitDB is a serverless, distributed, peer-to-peer database. OrbitDB uses IPFS as its data storage and Libp2p Pubsub to automatically sync databases with peers. It's an eventually consistent database that uses Merkle-CRDTs for conflict-free database writes and merges making OrbitDB an excellent choice for p2p and decentralized apps, blockchain applications and local-first web applications.

OrbitDB features a modular architecture, allowing for extensibility of the existing functionality. Access controllers, identity providers and, now, encryption can easily be implemented, either using out-of-the-box modules or bring-your-own solutions.

OrbitDB empowers developers to build applications which protect data ownership, ensure user privacy and resist censorship.

(Black Hole, a browser-based peer-to-peer chat featuring shared key cryptography, powered by OrbitDB)

History

OrbitDB started as Orbit, a peer-to-peer chat solution in 2015. Built by IPFS developers, it was soon determined that a peer-to-peer chat required a peer-to-peer database. To meet this need, OrbitDB was spun out.

In 2023, OrbitDB reached production-ready version 1. This culminated after 7 years of extensive development and a complete overhaul of the existing OrbitDB infrastructure.

OrbitDB is now one of the leading peer-to-peer database solutions, downloaded over 2000 times a week and is being incorporated into a variety of projects including a browser-based blockchain and a decentralized social media platform.

Projects

The OrbitDB ecosystem includes a number of projects currently under development.

Some of these projects include:

Core

@OrbitDB/Core is our flagship project and provides peer-to-peer database capabilities to Javascript developers.

Voyager

When data is stored with limited connectivity, there needs to be a way to provide access to distributed databases when computers go offline. Voyager, OrbitDB's pinner, provides always-up database replicas.

Go implementation

To expand the OrbitDB family, we are embarking on a port of OrbitDB to Golang. This will provide a wider array of developers to integrate OrbitDB in their decentralized systems.

Roadmap

Encryption

We hope to add encryption to both entries and the payloads.

Mission Control

A new user control panel. Users will be able to manage their databases using a GUI/webUI.

Sync protocol robustness

We would like to improve OrbitDB's recovery abilities when peers drop out and reconnect. Helping the sync protocol more easily recover from these outages will make OrbitDB more robust.

Infrastructure

We would like to expand some of our infrastructure for better testing and demo-ing. This includes the deployment of more relays and Voyager peers. We currently use Bitlaunch to run this infrastructure.