@sqliteai/sqlite-ai

SQLite AI extension packaged for Node.js

SQLite-AI is an extension for SQLite that brings artificial intelligence capabilities directly into the database. It enables developers to run, fine-tune, and serve AI models from within SQLite using simple SQL queries — ideal for on-device and edge applications where low-latency and offline inference are critical. The extension is actively developed by SQLite AI, some API and features are still evolving.

Features

• ✅ LLaMA Integration - Run LLaMA models directly in SQLite
• ✅ Whisper Speech Recognition - Transcribe audio with Whisper
• ✅ Embedding Generation - Generate vector embeddings for semantic search
• ✅ Cross-platform - Works on macOS, Linux (glibc/musl), and Windows
• ✅ Zero configuration - Automatically detects and loads the correct binary for your platform
• ✅ TypeScript native - Full type definitions included
• ✅ Modern ESM + CJS - Works with both ES modules and CommonJS
• ✅ Offline-ready - No external services required

Installation

npm install @sqliteai/sqlite-ai

The package automatically downloads the correct native extension for your platform during installation.

Supported Platforms

| Platform | Architecture | Package | |----------|-------------|---------| | macOS | ARM64 (Apple Silicon) | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-darwin-arm64 | | macOS | x86_64 (Intel) | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-darwin-x86_64 | | Linux | ARM64 (glibc) | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-linux-arm64 | | Linux | ARM64 (musl/Alpine) | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-linux-arm64-musl | | Linux | x86_64 (glibc) | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-linux-x86_64 | | Linux | x86_64 (musl/Alpine) | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-linux-x86_64-musl | | Windows | x86_64 | @sqliteai/sqlite-ai-win32-x86_64 |

sqlite-ai API

For detailed information on how to use the AI extension features, see the main documentation.

Usage

import { getExtensionPath } from '@sqliteai/sqlite-ai';
import Database from 'better-sqlite3';

const db = new Database(':memory:');
db.loadExtension(getExtensionPath());

// Ready to use
const version = db.prepare('SELECT ai_version()').pluck().get();
console.log('AI extension version:', version);

Examples

For complete, runnable examples, see the sqlite-extensions-guide.

These examples are generic and work with all SQLite extensions: sqlite-vector, sqlite-sync, sqlite-js, and sqlite-ai.

API Reference

getExtensionPath(): string

Returns the absolute path to the SQLite AI extension binary for the current platform.

Returns: string - Absolute path to the extension file (.so, .dylib, or .dll)

Throws: ExtensionNotFoundError - If the extension binary cannot be found for the current platform

Example:

import { getExtensionPath } from '@sqliteai/sqlite-ai';

const path = getExtensionPath();
// => '/path/to/node_modules/@sqliteai/sqlite-ai-darwin-arm64/ai.dylib'

getExtensionInfo(): ExtensionInfo

Returns detailed information about the extension for the current platform.

Returns: ExtensionInfo object with the following properties:

• platform: Platform - Current platform identifier (e.g., 'darwin-arm64')
• packageName: string - Name of the platform-specific npm package
• binaryName: string - Filename of the binary (e.g., 'ai.dylib')
• path: string - Full path to the extension binary

Throws: ExtensionNotFoundError - If the extension binary cannot be found

Example:

import { getExtensionInfo } from '@sqliteai/sqlite-ai';

const info = getExtensionInfo();
console.log(`Running on ${info.platform}`);
console.log(`Extension path: ${info.path}`);

getCurrentPlatform(): Platform

Returns the current platform identifier.

Returns: Platform - One of:

• 'darwin-arm64' - macOS ARM64
• 'darwin-x86_64' - macOS x86_64
• 'linux-arm64' - Linux ARM64 (glibc)
• 'linux-arm64-musl' - Linux ARM64 (musl)
• 'linux-x86_64' - Linux x86_64 (glibc)
• 'linux-x86_64-musl' - Linux x86_64 (musl)
• 'win32-x86_64' - Windows x86_64

Throws: Error - If the platform is unsupported

isMusl(): boolean

Detects if the system uses musl libc (Alpine Linux, etc.).

Returns: boolean - true if musl is detected, false otherwise

class ExtensionNotFoundError extends Error

Error thrown when the SQLite AI extension cannot be found for the current platform.

Related Projects

• @sqliteai/sqlite-vector - Vector search and similarity matching
• @sqliteai/sqlite-sync - Sync on-device databases with the cloud
• @sqliteai/sqlite-js - Define SQLite functions in JavaScript

License

This project is licensed under the Elastic License 2.0.

For production or managed service use, please contact SQLite Cloud, Inc for a commercial license.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see the main repository to open an issue.

Support

• 📖 Documentation
• 🐛 Report Issues