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DuckDB vs Vagrant

DuckDB logo

DuckDB

Software

Fast in-process analytical database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vagrant logo

Vagrant

Software

Development environments made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DuckDB client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios; Vagrant vagrant 2.4.3 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • They diverge on capability: DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Vagrant covers Box management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DuckDB and Vagrant actually diverge.

Attributes where DuckDB and Vagrant differ
AttributeDuckDBVagrant
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, WebAssemblyLinux, Windows, Mac
Founded20192010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DuckDB

  • In-process Execution
  • Columnar Storage
  • Vectorized Execution
  • Rich SQL Support
  • Parquet Support
  • CSV/JSON Import
  • Zero Dependencies
  • Python

Only in Vagrant

  • Box management
  • Provider support
  • Multi-machine setups
  • Provisioners
  • Networking
  • Synced folders
  • Snapshots
  • Plugins

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DuckDB

  • Analytics and data warehousingnot Vagrant
  • OLAP queries and data explorationnot Vagrant
  • Data science and machine learning workflowsnot Vagrant
  • Multi-format data ingestion and processingnot Vagrant

Vagrant

  • Reproducible local development environments defined in a Vagrantfilenot DuckDB
  • Provisioning identical VMs across VirtualBox, VMware and Hyper-V for a teamnot DuckDB
  • Sandboxing multi-machine setups on a developer laptopnot DuckDB

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DuckDB

  • Client-server setup remains in beta and not recommended for production distributed scenarios

Vagrant

  • Vagrant 2.4.3 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Vagrant to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Vagrant
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published
  • Uses that fall outside the Additional Use Grant require a separately negotiated licence from the licensor

Pricing, plan by plan

DuckDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DuckDB review.

Vagrant

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Development environment provisioning
    • Multiple providers
    • Provisioner support

Which should you pick?

Choose DuckDB if

  • You need in-process execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly.
  • You also want columnar storage.
DuckDB review

Choose Vagrant if

  • You need box management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want provider support.
Vagrant review

Questions people ask

Is DuckDB or Vagrant better?
Neither clearly leads. DuckDB starts at Free and Vagrant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DuckDB or Vagrant?
DuckDB starts at Free and Vagrant at Free.
Does DuckDB or Vagrant run on more platforms?
DuckDB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, WebAssembly. Vagrant runs on Linux, Windows, Mac.
Can I use DuckDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is DuckDB best used for?
DuckDB is most often used for analytics and data warehousing, olap queries and data exploration, data science and machine learning workflows, multi-format data ingestion and processing. Of those, analytics and data warehousing and olap queries and data exploration are not what Vagrant is typically brought in for.
What can DuckDB do that Vagrant cannot?
DuckDB covers In-process Execution, Columnar Storage, Vectorized Execution, Rich SQL Support. Vagrant covers Box management, Provider support, Multi-machine setups, Provisioners. Both handle Linux support, Windows support.
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