Description

CDS 10 replaces the default SQLite driver for local development and testing with Node.js's built-in node:sqlite module, which is available from Node.js 22.5 without any additional package. Previously, better-sqlite3 (or sql.js as a fallback) was installed as a transitive dependency of @cap-js/sqlite. Projects that explicitly pin better-sqlite3 or override cds.requires.db.driver will continue to work but must ensure the package is present in their own dependencies/devDependencies. Projects running on Node.js versions below 22.5 must either upgrade Node.js or explicitly configure the legacy driver.

How to Check

• [ ] Check cds env output for cds.requires.db.driver — if set to better-sqlite3 or sql.js, verify whether this is intentional or inherited.
• [ ] Check package.json (and package-lock.json / pnpm-lock.yaml) for a direct or indirect dependency on better-sqlite3 or sql.js that is not explicitly declared as a devDependency.
• [ ] Confirm the project's Node.js version is ≥ 22.5. If not, the built-in node:sqlite is unavailable and the legacy driver must be configured explicitly.
• [ ] Check .cdsrc.json and any package.json cds sections for a requires.db.driver override.

Migration Steps

1. If the project relies on node:sqlite (no driver override, Node.js ≥ 22.5): no change needed — the new default is in effect automatically.

2. If the project must keep better-sqlite3 (e.g. Node.js < 22.5 or test infrastructure dependency), add it as an explicit devDependency and configure the driver:

   // package.json
   {
     "devDependencies": {
   +   "better-sqlite3": "^9.0.0"
     },
     "cds": {
       "requires": {
         "db": {
   +       "driver": "better-sqlite3"
         }
       }
     }
   }

3. If you need time to migrate (e.g. to upgrade Node.js or adjust test infrastructure), temporarily set the compat flag to restore the previous driver:

   // package.json or .cdsrc.json
   {
     "cds": {
       "features": {
   +     "sqlite_driver": "better-sqlite3"
       }
     }
   }

   Remove the flag once the migration is complete.

4. To upgrade Node.js and use the new default, remove any explicit driver configuration and the better-sqlite3 dev dependency:

   // package.json
   {
     "devDependencies": {
   -   "better-sqlite3": "^9.0.0"
     },
     "cds": {
       "requires": {
         "db": {
   -       "driver": "better-sqlite3"
         }
       }
     }
   }

Notes

The node:sqlite built-in is a stable API as of Node.js 22.5 (unflagged). Projects using older Node.js LTS versions (18, 20) must configure the legacy driver explicitly. The change only affects local development and test environments — HANA is unaffected.