SQLite vs DuckDB on the same $16 box: every cliff moved 100x
Summary
A data-backed benchmark comparing DuckDB and SQLite as embedded storage engines for Traceway's observability stack on a low-cost server. DuckDB delivers dramatically higher write throughput and 100x faster reads across metrics, spans, and logs, enabling a billion-row workload on 10.8 GB and still staying online. The post covers the methodology, caveats, and practical self-hosting guidance.