From PostgreSQL to SQLite in Rails: Our Migration Journey, Challenges, and Lasting Trade-Offs

Wojtek Wrona

Team leader and full-stack developer with 10+ years of experience building and running Rails systems. As CTO at a small startup with an 8-person development team and no dedicated DevOps, I recently led the migration of our Rails monolith from PostgreSQL to SQLite. Drawing on my backend and SysOps experience, I’m looking forward to sharing practical lessons on when SQLite can simplify infrastructure, reduce costs, and where its limitations lie.

About

SQLite’s rise in production use - boosted by recent Rails improvements - has caught many developers’ attention. But beyond the buzz, what does it take to migrate a Rails app from PostgreSQL, and what trade-offs come with it?

In this talk, I’ll share our real-world migration story: the incremental process we followed, the challenges we faced, and the ongoing post-migration quirks you’ll need to accept.

Whether you’re drawn to the promise of a simpler, more cost-effective setup or are cautious about potential compromises, you’ll leave with clear, practical insights.

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