WAL

DuckDB 1.4 adds on-disk encryption (AES-GCM-256/CTR-256) with key derivation, WAL and temporary-file encryption, and near-zero OpenSSL-backed performance impact, but it is not yet aligned with NIST standards.

Lakebase's compute/storage separation and image-pushdown technique deliver up to 5x faster PostgreSQL writes, 94% less WAL traffic, and ~2x better read tail latency, backed by lab and real-world production benchmarks and a seamless, restart-free rollout.

SQLite with Rails 8 can power a production storefront on a single Docker volume using WAL, but aggressive deploy overlap caused lost orders and requires pacing and architectural caution.