Edge computing pushes computation and data storage closer to the data source—often on the mobile device itself. In this context, mobile databases are crucial for processing data locally without relying on constant connectivity to a cloud server. Apps in smart agriculture, industrial IoT, or autonomous vehicles use mobile databases to make decisions at the edge, reducing latency and bandwidth use.
For instance, a drone may use a mobile database to log flight data and mobile database analyze conditions in real time. After completing its task, it syncs with a central server. Edge-enabled mobile databases support fast response times and real-time analytics even in isolated environments.
Data Compression in Mobile Databases
To conserve space and improve performance, mobile databases often use data compression techniques. Compression reduces the size of stored data, saving disk space and speeding up read/write operations. For example, JSON data structures may be minified, or binary formats may replace text-based formats. Realm and SQLite support data compression either natively or through developer-implemented logic. Additionally, during synchronization, compressed data packets reduce bandwidth usage. Compression is particularly beneficial in apps with media files, large datasets, or frequent updates. However, developers must balance compression level with CPU usage, as excessive compression can increase power consumption during decompression.