objectbox-swift
ObjectBox Swift is a lightweight, embedded NoSQL database for iOS and macOS that stores Swift objects locally with minimal resource overhead. It supports offline-first applications, vector search for AI features, and automatic schema migrations.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | objectbox/objectbox-swift |
| Owner | objectbox |
| Primary language | Swift |
| License | Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 617 |
| Forks | 36 |
| Open issues | 21 |
| Latest release | v5.3.0 (2026-05-19) |
| Last updated | 2026-05-19 |
| Source | https://github.com/objectbox/objectbox-swift |
What objectbox-swift is
A Swift-native embedded database providing CRUD operations, relational queries, and approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) vector search on-device. Distributed via Swift Package Manager and CocoaPods; requires code generation (Sourcery) at build time and disables Bitcode in Xcode projects.
Get the objectbox-swift source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/objectbox/objectbox-swift.gitcd objectbox-swift# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Build-time code generation (Sourcery) must run in the Xcode project directory; user script sandboxing must be disabled in CocoaPods setup.
- Bitcode must be disabled in Xcode build settings; binary does not include Bitcode support.
- Entities are Swift classes/structs requiring `@objectbox` annotations or manual code generation; design schema before development.
- Vector search is available but requires vector embedding data to be pre-computed or sourced externally; local ANN is fast but limited to on-device data.
- Data migrations are automatic for schema changes, but major structural changes may require careful testing on existing databases.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Distributed SQL transactions required — ObjectBox is a single-device embedded database; it does not offer ACID transactions across multiple nodes or complex SQL join logic.
- Complex relational queries — While relations are supported, deep multi-table joins and aggregations are not the design focus; traditional SQL databases are better suited.
- Real-time multi-user concurrency — Designed for single-app, local persistence; real-time conflict resolution and concurrent writes across users require external sync infrastructure.
- Strong schema validation at insertion — The code-generation approach requires schema changes and recompilation; runtime schema flexibility is limited compared to schemaless databases.
License & commercial use
Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0), a permissive OSI-approved open-source license permitting commercial and proprietary use with attribution and no warranty.
Apache-2.0 permits commercial use of the open-source ObjectBox Swift library. However, ObjectBox Sync (cloud sync feature) is proprietary and requires a separate commercial agreement. Confirm licensing terms for Sync functionality if needed.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
ObjectBox stores data on the local device file system. Encryption at rest is not explicitly mentioned in the README; verify encryption capabilities if handling sensitive data. No security audit or vulnerability disclosure information provided. Local data should be protected via device-level security (iOS/macOS keychain integration recommended by application).
Alternatives to consider
Realm (Realm Swift)
Popular Swift ORM with similar offline-first design, wider adoption, and built-in encryption support; stronger community; however, may have higher memory footprint.
Core Data (Apple native)
System-level iOS/macOS persistence; no dependency; strong integration with SwiftUI; steeper learning curve; less suitable for high-throughput or vector workloads.
SQLite (via GRDB or sqlite3)
Lightweight, ubiquitous, mature SQL engine; lower-level API; better for complex queries; no vector search or object mapping out of the box.
Build on objectbox-swift with DEV.co software developers
Contact our engineering team to assess fit, performance benchmarks, and integration with your architecture. We'll help validate offline-first and edge AI use cases.
Talk to DEV.coRelated open-source tools
Surfaced by semantic similarity across the DEV.co open-source index.
Related on DEV.co
Explore the category and the services that help you build with it.
objectbox-swift FAQ
Can I use ObjectBox Swift in production?
Do I need an internet connection to use ObjectBox?
What is the maximum database size?
How do I handle schema migrations?
Work with a software development agency
Need help beyond evaluating objectbox-swift? DEV.co is a software development agency offering software development services and web development for teams of every size. Our software developers and web developers build custom software, web applications, APIs, and open-source databases integrations — and maintain them long-term.
Ready to evaluate ObjectBox Swift for your project?
Contact our engineering team to assess fit, performance benchmarks, and integration with your architecture. We'll help validate offline-first and edge AI use cases.