Can SQLite backup restoration guarantee exact page count parity after incremental steps?
0 reputation · 05 May 2026, 15:31 UTC
Restoring with the sqlite3_backup API
The goal is to duplicate a live database to a new file while the source is still being modified. The sqlite3_backup_step() function allows incremental copying, which can be useful for large databases or to avoid long blocking periods.
Constraints and Uncertainty
When the source database operates in WAL mode, a checkpoint may be required before the backup starts to ensure all pages are written to the main file. The backup API does not provide an internal checksum; verification is typically performed with PRAGMA integrity_check after the copy completes.
Unresolved Questions
1. Which SQLite configuration options influence the exact page count parity between source and destination after a full or incremental backup?
2. Does PRAGMA integrity_check reliably detect missing or corrupted pages that may arise during an incremental backup?
3. When using sqlite3_backup_step() in a loop, how can an application confirm that the destination database has the same number of pages as the source at the moment of restoration?
sqlite