Python sqlite3: run different sqlite3 version

Question

I'm running a Django project using sqlite as one of the databases. I would like to run the most recent SQLite version when running the project. By that I mean the most recent sqlite binary, not the sqlite python library.

I have a local sqlite3 binary that is not the system default and I can't change the default sqlite3 version.

I'm not using Django's ORM but have replaced it with a standalone SQLAlchemy version.

I've found one related link but that had to do with running the most recent python sqlite library version.

How to upgrade sqlite3 in python 2.7.3 inside a virtualenv?

Answer 1

Python can't use the sqlite3 binary directly. It always uses a module which is linked against the sqlite3 shared library. That means you have to follow the instructions in "How to upgrade sqlite3 in python 2.7.3 inside a virtualenv?" to create a version of the pysqlite module in your virtualenv.

You can then use this import

from pysqlite2 import dbapi2 as sqlite

to shadow the system's default sqlite module with the new one.

Another option would be to get Python's source code, compile everything and copy the file sqlite.so into your virtualenv. The drawback of this approach is that it's brittle and hard to repeat by other people.