SQLite Local Database for .NET MAUI

NuGet Package

Install sqlite-net-pcl by praeclarum:

<PackageReference Include="sqlite-net-pcl" Version="1.9.*" />
<PackageReference Include="SQLitePCLRaw.bundle_green" Version="2.1.*" />

[!WARNING] The correct package is sqlite-net-pcl (author: praeclarum). Do NOT use Microsoft.Data.Sqlite, sqlite-net, or SQLitePCL.raw directly — they are different libraries with incompatible APIs.

1. Constants Class

public static class Constants
{
    public const string DatabaseFilename = "app.db3";

    public const SQLite.SQLiteOpenFlags Flags =
        SQLite.SQLiteOpenFlags.ReadWrite |
        SQLite.SQLiteOpenFlags.Create |
        SQLite.SQLiteOpenFlags.SharedCache;

    public static string DatabasePath =>
        Path.Combine(FileSystem.AppDataDirectory, DatabaseFilename);
}

• ReadWrite | Create | SharedCache — standard flags for mobile apps.
• Use FileSystem.AppDataDirectory (not Environment.GetFolderPath) for cross-platform correctness on all MAUI targets.

2. Data Model

using SQLite;

public class TodoItem
{
    [PrimaryKey, AutoIncrement]
    public int Id { get; set; }

    [MaxLength(250)]
    public string Name { get; set; } = string.Empty;

    public bool Done { get; set; }
}

Key attributes: [PrimaryKey], [AutoIncrement], [MaxLength(n)], [Indexed], [Ignore], [Column("name")], [Unique], [NotNull], [Table("name")].

3. Database Service

Use the lazy async initialization pattern — the connection is created once, on first access, and all callers await the same instance:

using SQLite;

public class DatabaseService
{
    private SQLiteAsyncConnection? _database;

    private async Task<SQLiteAsyncConnection> GetDatabaseAsync()
    {
        if (_database is not null)
            return _database;

        _database = new SQLiteAsyncConnection(Constants.DatabasePath, Constants.Flags);
        await _database.ExecuteAsync("PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL;");
        await _database.CreateTableAsync<TodoItem>();
        return _database;
    }

    public async Task<List<TodoItem>> GetItemsAsync()
    {
        var db = await GetDatabaseAsync();
        return await db.Table<TodoItem>().ToListAsync();
    }

    public async Task<List<TodoItem>> GetItemsAsync(bool done)
    {
        var db = await GetDatabaseAsync();
        return await db.Table<TodoItem>().Where(i => i.Done == done).ToListAsync();
    }

    public async Task<TodoItem?> GetItemAsync(int id)
    {
        var db = await GetDatabaseAsync();
        return await db.Table<TodoItem>().Where(i => i.Id == id).FirstOrDefaultAsync();
    }

    public async Task<int> SaveItemAsync(TodoItem item)
    {
        var db = await GetDatabaseAsync();
        return item.Id != 0
            ? await db.UpdateAsync(item)
            : await db.InsertAsync(item);
    }

    public async Task<int> DeleteItemAsync(TodoItem item)
    {
        var db = await GetDatabaseAsync();
        return await db.DeleteAsync(item);
    }

    public async Task CloseConnectionAsync()
    {
        if (_database is not null)
        {
            await _database.CloseAsync();
            _database = null;
        }
    }
}

4. DI Registration

Register as a singleton in MauiProgram.cs:

builder.Services.AddSingleton<DatabaseService>();

Singleton because SQLiteAsyncConnection is not thread-safe for multiple instances. A single connection with WAL handles concurrent reads efficiently.

Inject into view models or pages:

public class TodoListViewModel(DatabaseService database)
{
    private readonly DatabaseService _database = database;
}

5. WAL (Write-Ahead Logging)

Enabled in GetDatabaseAsync() via PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL;.

• Readers do not block writers and vice versa.
• Better performance for concurrent read/write workloads.
• Recommended for all MAUI apps.

6. Database File Management

Always close the connection before moving, copying, or deleting the file.

// Delete database
await databaseService.CloseConnectionAsync();
if (File.Exists(Constants.DatabasePath))
    File.Delete(Constants.DatabasePath);

// Export / backup
await databaseService.CloseConnectionAsync();
File.Copy(Constants.DatabasePath,
    Path.Combine(FileSystem.CacheDirectory, "backup.db3"), overwrite: true);

Platform paths for FileSystem.AppDataDirectory:

On iOS, use FileSystem.CacheDirectory to exclude from iCloud backup.

7. Common Patterns

// Raw SQL
var items = await db.QueryAsync<TodoItem>(
    "SELECT * FROM TodoItem WHERE Done = ?", 1);

// Multiple tables — add in GetDatabaseAsync()
await _database.CreateTableAsync<TodoItem>();
await _database.CreateTableAsync<Category>();

// Transactions
await db.RunInTransactionAsync(conn =>
{
    conn.Insert(item1);
    conn.Insert(item2);
});

// Drop and recreate
await db.DropTableAsync<TodoItem>();
await db.CreateTableAsync<TodoItem>();

Checklist

• Install sqlite-net-pcl + SQLitePCLRaw.bundle_green
• Create Constants with DatabasePath using FileSystem.AppDataDirectory
• Define models with [PrimaryKey, AutoIncrement]
• Create DatabaseService with lazy async init and CRUD methods
• Enable WAL via PRAGMA journal_mode=WAL
• Register DatabaseService as singleton in DI
• Close connections before moving or deleting the database file